My heart is not proud, O lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.

Psalm 131

Is there anything more comforting than the picture of a child resting on his mother? Psalm 131 paints a beautiful scene of a child accepting his role with his parent and trusting in that parent to care for and protect him. That’s exactly what we need to do in our relationship with God. But too often we find ourselves looking in the wrong direction.

the trap of pride

This psalm begins a disclaimer of sorts-the declaration of a heart that is not proud and eyes that are not haughty. He goes on to say that he chooses not to involve himself with things that are too great or difficult for him. Does this sound like your life? Or do you think more highly of yourself than you should? Do you try to understand the incomprehensible and argue the indefensible? If we think more highly of ourselves than we should, we guarantee a break in our fellowship with God, because He abhors pride (Proverbs 8:13). But if we have the right perspective of ourselves and involve ourselves in those thing He has for us to understand, we can rest in the peaceful center of His will.

Just what does that look like? To get a glimpse of who we are in relation to God, let’s look at Job 38:1,2. God is replying to Job’s questions as to why God has allowed all of his struggles and sufferings. “Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said ‘Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?’” Our knowledge is so pitifully small compared to God’s. It is almost crazy to think that we are sometimes proud. Our minds cannot begin to fathom God’s wisdom, power, and majesty.

So, what kind of things should we “involve” ourselves in? Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” We are intended to study, ponder, teach and share the things revealed by God to us. The secret things, however, belong to God. There are many questions we will not have answers to on this side of Heaven. As frustrating as that may be, it is a fact of life on this earth.

instead, simply rest

The Psalmist says he has “stilled and quieted” his soul. That sounds like a choice. Even in the face of endless uncertainties, we can choose to trust God and rest in Him. That is what walking by faith is all about. God knows our needs and questions, and when we humble ourselves before Him, He will take care of our needs. He will hold and comfort us. We can rest assured. Regardless of what is going on around us, if we have trusted Christ as our personal savior, we will always be His. Leslie Allen said it well in the Word Biblical Commentary-“Like toddlers who soon run out of their own limited resources and gladly submit to being carried, we find God to be the One on whom we can depend to bring us to our destined goal, and one who already in Christ give us rest for our souls.”

An exercise that many of the ladies in our church found helpful as we studied Psalms this Spring, was to the practice of re-writing a psalm in our own words. Below is my version of Psalm 131. Why not try your own?

When I have come to the end of myself, I am ready to admit that there are so many things I do not understand. But that is not a problem for me. I simply rest my quieted soul against my Heavenly Father’s strong arms, and I find peace there. He is the only One who can care for me in this way. Always, always remember to put your hope in Him.

prayer

Strong and Mighty Father, let me lean on You for care and comfort. I do not understand so many of Your ways, and so many of the struggles in this life. But I thank You that there is rest in Your arms. You carry and shield me from the worries of this world. You quiet my soul and allow me to find peace in the knowledge that nothing or no one is greater than You are. Be my strong Father and let me be your resting child. And when the world sees what You do for me, may You be glorified to all around. In Jesus’ name, Amen.