Encouraging Affirmation: God is the Strength of My Heart

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”—Psalm 73:26

It was a touching scene being played out on my window ledge and in front of me: Mama bird teaching baby bird how to fly. The first flight went pretty well, but when she attempted to take her baby for a second run, his little wings could not make it and he landed on my ledge and sat there looking around. Several times the mother would fly to him and chirp something and he would not budge, only flutter his wings a bit. She flew to the tree a few hundred feet away and called out to him, still all he did was flutter his wings; his strength was gone. Then, she disappeared for several minutes and as he sat there looking for her, she flew to the ledge with a worm in her mouth and fed it to him. He sat eating his nourishment, not moving. After a short time she flew in front of him hoping he would follow but still no movement. Finally she returned spoke to him in a language only the two of them understood, and he chirped back, she flutter her wings and he did likewise, then as she flew off he followed her. I couldn’t resist clapping for him and praising God that another one of his little ones had gotten strength of wings and strength of heart to make the journey.

It’s not hard to see how we are so much like the little robin. I’ve watched him grow up from afar; not daring to even get too close to the nest! Seen when he was just a tiny peep, he and his siblings just barely big enough to see over the top of the nest, now being able to test his little wings, fly, even a little bit; his wings strong enough to carry him for a short distance. His mama knew that he needed a little nourishment, needed a little coaxing, needed to see her out front leading; needed to know she was with him during his scary time of trying out his wings and was patient with him. She is getting him ready for a bird’s life. Preparing him to do what he was created to do: soar.         

God sees us, knows us, sees our weariness, our struggles, knows when we need a little nourishment, need a little coaxing, knows how to come close to us and speak in a language only we and him understand, knows when to watch from afar and when to sit next to us. Knows that we can become physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually exhausted in this journey and he knows exactly what to do for us in those times.     

Aspah wrote a beautiful psalm to be read during the time of worship. He picks up where David, the master psalmist, left off and begins Book Three of the Psalms with a psalm about the strength God gives to his own. Over twenty-eight verses Asaph expresses and describes the human journey: full of trials, errors, struggles, doubts, fears, seeking to understand, challenged to grow in faith, learning to fly spiritually like that little bird, and coming through this journey with flying colors, learning to soar because God returns over and over to strengthen and nourish us; to feed us from his own lips, from the pages of his word; his promises like the little worm that dangled from the mama bird’s mouth.

How true this flesh and our heart will fail? These bodies grow weak, become sick, diseased, threaten to give out before their time and eventually they will give out: the heart will stop completely. But God did not design them to go into heaven with us; they have a limited lifespan. But God will be our portion forever and we will live with him in eternity in our new bodies that will never give out, never lose strength, never tire or fail. Until then our mighty, loving, caring, nurturing God will keep returning to us to strengthen us in body, soul, mind, and heart. Let’s Pray,

Dear God how glad I am that you are the strength not only of my life, but of my heart and soul. Over and over you feed me from your mouth. You take such good care of me. You know when I need to be strengthened: when I am feeling faint and need your special care, and when I need to be coaxed from my ledge of life. I praise you Father for your goodness and love. and today I affirm over my life and soul that You are the Strength of my Heart! Amen

Affirmations I can speak over myself:

My heart is strengthened because my God is the strength of my heart. Amen

My God is all the strength I need to make it through this life. He returns to me over and over, throughout my life’s journey to strengthen and encourage me. Amen

I, (name), am encouraged and strengthened because my God ministers to my heart, soul, person, and being. He loves and cares for me completely. Amen