“Surround me with Your tender mercies.”
When was the last time you felt you were at the end of your rope?
If you are anything like me, that feeling creeps in all too often. I refer to these moments as “fear meltdowns.” They are like a masquerade party disguised as a courtroom drama where the harshest, well-polished voices gather to present their case against me. There is the “You’re stuck in the not-yet reality and it will never happen” voice, the “You are a failure” voice, followed by the “What’s wrong – pull yourself together” voice, and let’s not forget the “You should’ve, could’ve” voice reminding me of missed opportunities.
One by one, the voices present their arguments, and I listen intently, trying to counter them. Guilty on all accounts, the party turned trial inevitably ends with me melting down into a puddle of tears. At some point, I realized we forgot to invite The Judge. Everyone stands as the Almighty enters the room. The mood shifts, and the once-imposing lawyers seem diminished in size. I truth-tell (confession) every fear and feeling that goes against Him and who He says I am. I move to ask Him, “What do you want me to know about all of this?”
In the quiet of the courtroom, now transformed into a living room, the Judge, also a Father, pours out mercy and love upon His daughter. At times, I feel drawn to a specific verse, a song, or a timely devotional book that confirms His overriding voice, silencing the ominous death sentence pronounced by other voices. Even in moments when God seems silent, being in His presence brings peace.
David’s psalms are relatable because he experienced similar meltdowns. His honesty with God models a rhythm for us. While I recognize the need to confess my fears and refocus on the truth of who God is, I often overlook the importance of sitting quietly to allow God’s Spirit to surround me with God’s tender mercies.
Seeking Comfort
After a devastating experience of defeat, 1 Samuel 30:6 tells us that David spent time with God to be “strengthened and encouraged in the LORD his God.” (AMP)
How did David know to respond this way?
“You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant. Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight.” (Psalm 119: 73, 76-77, NLT)
David asked God for the common sense to follow His Word. And out of his passion for God’s Word, David gained the wisdom that provided his antidote for fear meltdowns, his not-yet moments, his sense of letting God and others down, and “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” (Psalm 23:4, ESV).
David learned to seek God when he was down. “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1, NIV). In his seeking, David lingered long enough for God to fill his parched soul.
David claimed the promises that God would provide comfort, strength, and surround him with God’s tender mercies. (Psalm 119:76-77)
The mercies of the Father are readily available to us, too, if we will invite The Righteous Judge, Loving Father, Prince of Peace, Healer, Strength Giver, and Lover of our souls into our next meltdown and linger long enough for Him to fill our weary souls with His grace.
I pray that you unhurry yourself long enough to sit with God, to have your mind renewed with His Truth, heart healed by His tender mercies, and your soul strengthened by His Presence. So be it, in Jesus’ name.
Meditate: I am surrounded by God’s tender mercies.
Reflect: What type of “fear meltdowns” do you experience? How would you describe them? How do you think telling the truth about the fears you are entertaining and the feelings you are experiencing can help? Do you sit long enough for the Holy Spirit to minister to you? What would this look like for you?
Deeper: (As you read through these additional verses, ask the Spirit to give you wisdom and teach you more about how He wants to surround you with His tender mercies.) Psalm 119:73-80; Psalm 63:1-8; 2 Timothy 1:7-10; Lamentations 2:19-24
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(Bible References: NLT – New Living Translation, ESV – English Standard Version, NIV – New International Version,)
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