Strength of My Heart

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” -Psalm 73:26

My son has always been an all-around happy boy. Even in infancy he was all smiles and giggles; he’d spend his waking hours dancing and singing. But then, something shifted at bedtime. The poor little guy woke up multiple times a night. He battled ear infections, nightmares, you name it. Before he reached the age of two he rarely slept through the night, which means, neither did I. The sleep deprivation just about did me in. I have never been so exhausted as I was in that season. And yet, I survived. I made it through every one of those long nights filled with tears (my son’s and mine). How? Certainly not of my own strength, only of God’s. 

There are times when our physical bodies are sapped of all strength, lacking in sleep, or drained of energy. Our bodies are just earthly vessels, sometimes weak and unreliable. We often put too much faith in them to carry us through. When our bodies fail us, it’s a humbling reminder that we need more than sleep, caffeine, or healthy food and water to keep us going. We need God. 

I relied heavily on the Lord’s strength in those early days of motherhood. During the day I would get so preoccupied with diaper changes, playdates and meal planning that I didn’t commune with God much, but at night, when it was just me and the baby in the darkness of the nursery, God would meet me there. In the wee hours of the morning as I paced the room with my son, I would pray. Through my frustrated tears He would remind me I was chosen to be the mother of this special child, and that these hours of struggle would not be in vain. He sustained me and gave me just what I needed to make it through another sleepless night, only to do it all over again the next day. My flesh and my heart were failing, but God was my strength and my portion. 

Study & Reflection: Psalm 73:26 says that God is our portion. A portion is simply defined as part of a whole, but think of it in terms of a daily portion, enough just for today. God assures us He is our portion; He is all we need, when we need it, one day at a time. When we are fatigued we need only put one foot in front of the other, trusting Him to sustain us enough for each step. Think of a time in your life when you were physically sapped of strength. What did you learn about yourself and about God during that season? 

Prayer: Read Matthew 11:28-30. Lay your weary and burdened body before the Lord today. Trade your fatigue for the restful, easy yoke He offers you. Ask Him to sustain you, to meet you right where you are today, and to give you strength.