Might

Thursday of the First Week of Advent

God delivered me from my strong enemies

and from those who hated me;

for they were too mighty for me.

Psalm 18:18

As I scroll through my phone in the morning, checking my calendar, the weather, and my to-do list, I realize I am avoiding all my news feeds.  The world around me is so full of trouble, and my soul is so bruised, that I cannot bear even the headlines.

Growing up with two older brothers, I was always trying to prove myself, to compete with them, determined to show I could keep up and even win. My self-reliance has been a gift in my life. And it can lead me astray.

There are troubles in this word that I cannot solve, injustices that I cannot overcome. The enemy whispers in my soul that these are too mighty for me, and I will be destroyed.

This is a half-truth. They are too mighty for me. Yet I belong to a God who does not abandon me, and my strength rests in trusting the Holy One. I whisper a prayer and intentionally place myself in God’s hands as I wait for the infant who delivers us all.