Turn it Around

I hate that feeling I have when I wake up in the morning to all the things I didn't get to yesterday. Sometimes it's a sink of dirty dishes, laundry I forgot to switch out, postponing ministry emails, or a long list of job-related tasks. Sigh. It makes me tired before I even get started on my day. Anyone else ever feel that way? 

Sometimes, it feels like things pile up and pile up, until I'm sure I'm going to be swept away in the aftermath. But no. That would be a little relief. I'm sure it'd all still be waiting here when I return with my arm in a sling and foot in a boot. LOL. I may be exaggerating a little, but only a little! Simply put - caregiving can be overwhelming on the best days. But we just keep putting one foot in front of another.

Can I say this, though? Our enemy isn't our dirty house, piles of laundry, or the dishes starting to mold in the sink. It can feel that way, though. Our enemies are many. Doubt. Fear. Hopelessness. Aloneness. Social isolation. Exhaustion...need I go on? I'm sure you've got a few to add yourself!

One thing I have found is that if I can shift, my day shifts too. Change comes when I change up my normal actions, and that might just be sitting down for five minutes to make a list of the top 5 things I must do first. It lets me feel like I'm back in control, if nothing else.

I wonder if that's slightly how David felt as he penned Psalm 9. He starts a few of his psalms with praise, but he generally follows a pattern that he totally bypasses in this psalm. Psalm 9 starts with a series of declarations.

I will praise the Lord with my whole heart

I will tell of all Your works

I will be glad and rejoice in You

I will sing praise to Your name...

But it's verse 3 that really got my attention. My loose paraphrase is.. until all my enemies turn back - and fall at Your presence. Caregivers might be singing for a long time, then. LOL. Talk about a shift in atmosphere. Praising God doesn't magically make everything straighten out. It doesn't fix all that feels off or difficult in our lives, but there is a definite shift that comes when we take our eyes off of our situations and fix them on Him.

When we start to praise God, sing of His works, and choose to rejoice is what He is doing or has done for us - we shift. We may not know we are doing it intentionally, but we are placing our hearts and our gaze above our enemies. Sing until doubt is dispelled. Praise until you are no longer afraid. Rejoice in all He has done (even if you can't see it right now), and watch hope revive. Keep doing it until you turn your enemies around, even if you have to keep doing it all day long.

My strong "I will" can turn the enemy back from his attack. Praising God can dispel darkness, fear, and doubt. Reminding myself that God is with me can help reduce the negative effects of loneliness, abandonment, and isolation. Each time the enemies of our souls attack, our declarations and praise can cause them to turn back because we refuse to be taken captive. 

Today, I'll remind myself that my declarations are powerful. I may take a few minutes to write out my declarations. I will praise God for all He has done. Even if He hasn't given us an escape from caregiving, He has still saved our souls, covered us in His righteousness, and given us grace for today. And He's not taking any of that back today or any other day! For that, I am thankful, and I'm sure I can trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

Check out one of my best-selling books - 31 Days in Psalm 31. It's a devotional taken from Psalm 31 (obviously!) - a time when David was hiding in a cave from Saul - even though he'd been anointed the next king. The social isolation of caregiving can certainly make it feel like we live in a cave but God is there with us. And that's what this 31-day devotional is all about, exploring and discovering God in the caves of life. You can get the eBook from my shop at Buy Me A Coffee. Or the print and kindle versions are available in my Amazon Shop.