Refuge of Grace

Do laundry, pick up groceries, clean toilets, vacuum the endless dust bunnies, when was the last time I washed the sheets, and oh yeah, what are we even having for dinner? Does this list sound familiar to you? Often, I find myself believing the completion of this endless to-do list, will provide contentment. But, will it? When uncompleted tasks or future worries encircle us, these truths remain: the Lord is our portion and He holds our future.

The words of Psalm 16:5 help me cope when anxiety spikes and I pray it will do the same for you. David, the author of this psalm, writes, “LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure” (Psalm 16:5 NIV). This passage reminds us all we need as our portion is God. When I think of the word, portion, my mouth waters as my tastebuds delight in a bite of the best meal I’ve ever tasted—a grilled steak, savory lemon pasta, and parmesan grilled asparagus. Each bite nourishes my body and delights my tastebuds. And friend, even more perfectly than the most delightfully portioned meal, God is our soul-satisfying portion. Charles Spurgeon says it best in his commentary of Psalm 16, “He is the meat and drink of our souls.” He is all we need.

This sounds beautiful, but what does this practically look like? In this season, the to-do list jumps off the page and into my mind, before I even have a minute to register the sound of the alarm. On these mornings, it takes everything in me to walk downstairs and open my Bible. And sometimes, I don’t even make it downstairs, but instead find a cozy spot in my early-riser son’s room while trucks zoom over the pages of my Bible. However it looks, and even if just one word, I feel the nourishment of God’s word filling my soul. In these moments, I know God is my true portion. And all of the other “needs” of the day fall away. The to-do list is still there, but instead of thinking the completion of these items will provide contentment, I know God is all I need.

God is exactly who we need, no matter the circumstances or events of the day. He provides patience during a child’s meltdown, comfort when our souls are ragged with grief, perseverance when the hard season feels it will never end, strength for the battle waging war in our minds, or courage to repair the broken relationship. Now that is a sweet portion, and it is available to us always—even as we scrub toilets or have no clue when the last time was we washed the sheets.

If I’m not feeling anxious about the to-do list of today, it’s often about the what ifs of the future—health of family members, the lives of my children, conversations I need to have, plans for vacation, or having enough resources. Again, God eases our worries of the future when David writes, “You make my lot secure.” In the CSB Bible Translation, this verse is translated, “You hold my future.” Our future is secure and held by God. I don’t know about you, but my anxiety eases, when I know my future isn’t held by me, but by the Almighty God.

The lives of our family members and friends are held securely by the same hands which created the world (Genesis 1:1). The conversations we need to have are lovingly cupped by the Almighty God who provides wisdom and understanding (Proverbs 2:6). The plans of future travels are clasped by the Father who establishes our steps (Proverbs 16:9). Our future resources are securely held by God who provides more abundantly than we could imagine (Deuteronomy 2:7). No matter what makes our hearts anxious, God graciously eases our anxiety, just by who He is.

Dear friend, if you are drowning with the weight of undone to-do lists or anxieties of the future, you are not alone. Together, let’s lift our eyes to the One who is truly our portion—the satisfier of our souls.