"Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." Psalm 54:4
A lifestyle is sustainable when the Lord is the sustainer. Behind every sustainable life is dependence on a Savior: to help in time of need—to provide calm in a crisis—to give perspective when feeling pressure and to slow down someone who is way to busy. The grace of God gives sustainability to a life paced by prayer and energized by faith in Jesus.
Are you involved in so many good initiatives, only to find yourself unable to keep up with your commitments? Is your pace of life without margin—unable to really invest in those who need you the most? Indeed, it is extremely important to take periodic audits of our pace of life and make sure we make room for real relational investments. A life is unsustainable, if it is always darting from one good deed to the next with no down time.
“Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed” (Psalm 119:116).
Sometimes it takes a restoration of joy in following Jesus to realign our hearts in rest with Him. Joyless living is drudgery and only contributes to fatigue and exhaustion. However, the Lord upholds His own—by His presence and the wisdom of His word. He is ever present to energize a seeking soul with His solace of strength, peace and perseverance.
Like a wilderness hiker without a backpack of supplies and no compass—is a life that wanders around without the sustenance of Scripture and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. A sustainable life has Almighty God as its architect and belief in Jesus as its builder. He sustains those who regularly seek Him with a pure heart and a teachable mind. He helps the humble and lifts up those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
“The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground” (Psalm 147:6).
Are you old? The Lord is your sustainer in your later years. Are you sick? Your Savior Jesus sustains you on your sick bed. Are you an orphan? You are not outcast, but a precious child of your Heavenly Father. Are you a widow or widower? You are not alone, but loved by the Lord. Are you in a new country, away from home? Jesus is trustworthy in your transition. Are you afraid? Christ is a prayer away to provide comfort and care.
Lastly, a sustainable lifestyle happens in community with other followers of Jesus. Faith comes alive when it is exercised in the presence of other people who love the Lord. You feel support, love, compassion, prayers and wisdom from the Body of Christ. The Lord is your help and His people are His helpers. A sustainable lifestyle comes from Christ.
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3a).
How can I sustain my lifestyle in the power of the Spirit and not in my own strength?
Related Readings: Job 36:19; Psalm 119:175; 146:9; Isaiah 46:4; 50:4; 59:16
Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey
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