Strength for Today - iBelieve Truth - August 19, 2025
Strength for Today
By Amber Ginter
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me” (Psalm 28:7, NIV).
I was halfway through my fifth year of teaching high school English, and I felt dead inside. Between working full-time, pursuing a master's like degree in professional writing, working on my first book proposal, and being married, I was worn and weary. On the outside, I appeared productive and flourishing. Everyone around me praised my ability to keep up with perfection. But on the inside, I was crumbling—drained, broken, and a shell of myself.
Many of you know that feeling too well. You push yourself past healthy breaking points, and don't stop until you're face-to-face with utter exhaustion. Living life in this way doesn't just suck out the fun and enjoyment, but it also prevents us from living our best lives. It prevents us from living in the grace that God gives us for each day.
When we try to do life in our strength, it's like we're fighting battles without enough strength or protection. No matter how many hours we put in at our jobs, in our homes, or in the gym, it's never enough. There's always more to do, more to achieve, and higher to become. But what would change if we truly believed God was both our strength and shield? If we stopped trying so hard and started living in the truth of what Psalm 28 tells us.
According to Psalm 28, David cries out to God to hear him. He asks that the Lord protect Him from evil people, and praises Him for his deliverance before he receives it. The personal nature of verse 7 declares that God is David's strength and shield. He uses the word "my" to indicate that, though he doesn't have the victory yet, he believes God will deliver him in the end.
Today, I would encourage you to read verse 7 silently and replace “my” with your name in mind. Then, I would suggest breaking down the verse section by section.
"The Lord is my strength" reveals to us that God doesn’t just give strength; He is our strength. Why is that good news? On my own, I'm weak and needy. My weaknesses are evident and pile to the sky. But that's okay. God is often most glorified through our weaknesses, for when we're weak, He is strong.
Isaiah 40:29-31 describes this humble strength as a daily source, not a one-time boost of strength. God's strength is like prayer—something we need all day, every day, continually: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (NIV).
"The Lord is my shield," reminds us that God is our source of safety. A shield protects us from attacks that we can and can't see. This means that God's protection is active, not passive. He stands between us and the enemy (Psalm 3:3). "But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high". It's the Lord who surrounds us, is within us, and helps us face the battles that come our way.
When we say that "my heart trusts in Him," David is declaring that trust is the bridge between fear and faith. This doesn't mean that faith comes without fear. You can trust and still be afraid. But choosing to trust God, amidst what our hearts feel, that is faith. The heart is often where our deepest fears live, but it's also where God calls us to rest in Him. And why is that good news? Because even here, "He helps me." God’s help isn’t abstract; it’s practical, timely, and personal. He will show up, but sometimes in ways we don't recognize until after the fact.
Friends, if you're weak and weary today, try identifying, inviting, and implementing this simple practice:
- Identify: Where do you feel weak or unprotected today? Write this down in a journal and talk to God about it.
- Invite: In prayer, name those situations, feelings, or circumstances, and ask God to be your strength and shield.
- Implement: Create a simple phrase—like “You are my shield”—and use it as a mental “reset” when anxiety or fatigue hits. This isn't just mindless words but putting God's promises into practice.
Dear God, thank you for being my strength when I am weak, worn, and weary. Today, and every day, I need you to be my shield. Help me to look to you when I'm desperate, and when life is good. Teach my heart to trust and depend on you even when times are tough, and to never lose hope. We praise, thank, and love you, Lord. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Zac Durant/Unsplash
Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
