In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:16-17, NLT*

Last week had a few not-so-fun-or-glowing days. Things weren’t going the way I wanted. Unvoiced expectations were not being met. And my lingering writer’s identity crisis flared up again.

I spent a lot of time saying “I have a good Shepherd. It’ll be okay.” And as long as I kept saying it, things weren’t so bad. Forget for very long, or go back to thinking about whatever grievance or glum thing was flavour-of-the-moment, and the gloom descended. My poor family!

Words make a huge difference, if we listen and believe them. We know that about negative comments and self-fulfilling prophecies, but sometimes we forget the positive side of our words. Not in the speak-what-you-want-and-it’ll-be-yours way, but in the remind-yourself-of-God’s-truth way.

Creator God who spoke us into being, thank You for words of truth and healing. What You speak is true. Give us faith and help us remember to use Your Word as our shield of faith and our sword to fight.

∞

The song “Everything Falls,” by Fee, helps us hold onto truth whether our struggle is life-shaking or the day-to-day “things” that wear at us.

* New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.