On one of my morning walks this week, I noticed the bone-dry, eroded ground, pictured above. I snapped a pic, wondering “How in the world are those trees still so very green when the soil all around them is totally dry?”

Then I noticed the little creek. Clearly, their roots run deeply and they are tied into the water source which nurtures them even though the soil around them looks devoid of life.

I know you see the analogy with our spiritual lives: living water runs deep. Root systems feed off the deeper water source, sustaining life even when the surface is completely dry.  

Spiritually speaking, It’s in the depths of our souls that we find life God’s life-giving water to sustain our everydays. 

What questions are you asking?

During this pandemic, have you found yourself pressing in deeper to go with God? Have you asked Him why this is happening? Have you asked Him how we are to live in this situation? Are you asking when this will end, and we can go back to our normal lives again? Do you doubt that normal is going to match anything we’ve known before? 

I don’t see how we can go back to life as it was before the pandemic, the protests, the riots, the shutdowns and cancellations. I don’t think life will ever be the same again. 

So what do we do in this “new normal”? How do we navigate everyday living every day? I asked the Lord this question, and He has taken me on a journey I want to share with you. And if you have asked HIm the same kinds of questions, I”d love to hear what He has spoken to you. 

If you are a part of God’s Family, you believe, along with me, that the pandemic and all its accompaniments come as no surprise to Him. You also know that He is Most High, He loves HIs children, and His every intention toward His children is love. 

So, how are we, His children, to find and experience His love, when all around us we see the erosion of chaos and confusion? 

When I asked that question, He took me to a place in His Word and gave me one word I could remember, one that shows me where I stand with Him and how to stand in this world.

The word is steadfast. I don’t hear it frequently used, but like the green trees living in the eroded soil, it paints a vivid picture in spiritual terms. And don’t you know, to look at life in spiritual terms, we need to peer through the spiritual lens of God’s Word in order to clearly see His perspective. 

The writer, David, begins Psalm 108 with the confession, “My heart is steadfast, O God…”  With steadfast not being a word we use every day, I wanted to completely understand, so I read that same verse in eleven different translations. Other versions use words like confident, unwavering, faithful, fixed and determined, all projecting the same idea: a resolved security. 

Further investigation reveals identical words in Psalm 57, another of David’s poems, written when he had fled from the murderous assaults of King Saul. Psalm 108 is a repetition of Psalm 57. Who knew? 

He’s Talking to Himself

It seems David is not only confessing his commitment, but he’s also using these words as “self-talk”, intentionally directing his thoughts to focus on God. 

His preceding prayer says, “When trouble is lurking over me, my soul concentrates on You, God. You are Most HIgh God. You overpower what troubles me.” That’s my rendition of Psalm 57:1-3. 

Once David pauses in the presence of God, he states, “It may look like trouble is covering me, but I sit strong, sheltered under Your wings.” If you want to sing about this, sing along with “Surrounded (Fight My Battles)” by Bethel or Michael W. Smith. This is today’s version of David’s song, and I went for weeks with those victorious lyrics swirling around in my head. It’s the kind of song that sticks with you, in a good way! 

We’re Not Running for Our Lives—or Are We?

I”m not typically fleeing for my life like David, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the life that surrounds me…do you? In the past several months, I have felt assaulted by an emergency eye surgery + three subsequent surgeries to follow; we’ve grieved over the deaths of six family members and two friends; we’re all isolated due to COVID-19; the political climate of our country is divided as never before. 

I realize I’m not alone—you have your own list of challenges that surround you. 

Can you say with David, “My heart is steadfast, O God”? What has been your self-talk when you feel surrounded by trouble? 

Knowing the truth of God’s love and protection brought David to the confident place of being steadfast. In complete confidence, David, digging deep into his soul to the presence of God, could stand strong, saying, “No matter what: I will praise God.” 

Knowing David, he would then pray, “I surrender my will. I submit my way. God, show me Your will, and I will walk in Your way.”

What I learned is that

Steadfastness is a Condition that puts us in a Position to stand in a Posture, filling us with strong Purpose. 

What happens then is, we enter into Rest that replaces our unsettled insecurities with constant support and complete security. 

Does that sound inviting? Are you attracted to this Steadfast State of Mind? 

If so, you can begin with some self-talk, taken from David in Psalms 57 and 108. I doubt David just “naturally” became strong and steadfast. No, other psalms he wrote indicate he felt fear, anger, depression, anxiety, insecurity, and many of the emotions we regularly experience. 

Reading David’s writings shows us he exercised a great amount of self-discipline to bring his thoughts around to the truth. 

Follow David’s lead: 

• Gather in your thoughts. 
• Direct your mind toward what you know to be true. 
• When you are not sure what is true, speak with God like David did, look into scripture, and speak to yourself using the true words of scripture. 

I know, talking to yourself may seem awkward, but honestly, we talk to ourselves all the time—it’s called “thinking”. And it’s highly important to think about what we’re thinking about, because how we think determines the actions we take. 

David wrote Psalm 57 while hiding in a cave. There had to be some fear and trepidation in his mind, since the king was threatening to kill him. What if David had allowed his focus to stick on that fear of the powerful king? What might have happened had he not intentionally engaged In steadfastness of mind? 

Just like David, if you are a Christ-follower, you have the power to stir yourself up in truth that leads to a steadfast heart. If you have not yet developed the habit of healthy self-talk, follow David’s lead: look to the truth of God’s Word to be your guide.

Start your habit of truthful self-talk this week. Then come back and comment below. Let us know how it works out for you :) 

Or, if you have some experience with healthy self-talk, share your helpful hints in the comments below. You may have just the secret some of us need to hear! 

How do you employ self-talk to dig deep in the Source of Life? Is self-talk a disciplined habit, or a new concept you want to develop?