Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
This verse from Isaiah is my daughter’s confirmation verse. The more I reflect on it, the more I love it and I pray it carries with her throughout her life. Within four short lines, the Spirit of God packed a ton of promise and hope for today and the future.
The verses don’t downplay or dismiss the hardships and difficulties of life, they direct us through them with the person of God and the promises he gives.
1. There will be and are things in this world that make us afraid…God is with you!
Fear is dismissed when we are with someone who already knows the outcome. As a kid, you are always more comfortable doing something with a parent who is with you. They are stronger and they already know the experience so are not afraid. Multiply that greatly and you have God’s promise. When we are afraid of life itself, God who is all powerful and eternal has already journeyed the path and promises to be with you. Jesus promised as he left, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
2. There will be things in this world that cause us to be discouraged…God is your God!
The word that is translated “dismayed” means to have discouragement about the future. Have you felt that recently…for a while? As you look at the events happening around us, it is easy to be discouraged about the future, to look at it with great pessimism versus optimism. But remember God already knows the future and ultimately, because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has planned for you the most glorious future in heaven. When we walk each day with the Lord we have these promises from the Lord:
Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. …
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
3. There will be things we feel powerless over…God will strengthen you!
Many things are out of our control. We don’t like to admit it, but eventually we do. We wish we could change the situation. We wish we could overcome the difficulty. All too often we run to our own strength first and only when that is exhausted do we turn to the Lord. Let’s reverse that and turn to him first. He will strengthen you. After all, he promises victory!
Romans 8:35-39 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4. There are things we feel tired to continue to engage in…God will uphold you!
Hold up your arms above your head. How long could you do that? A minute or two? Now have someone hold up your arm for you. How long do you think you could do it now? Much longer, right? When we feel like giving up and the battles of life too strong, the Lord says, I will hold you up with my righteous right hand. The picture and promise are like that which Moses experienced:
Exodus 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
There is more that could be said about this short, yet powerful verse. But perhaps these two statements summarize it:
- The world is full of evil, that’s why God reminds us of who HE is and what HE promises!
- What I am not, God is. What I can’t do, God will.
Truly this is a passage worth carrying through life!
Apply: Take time to memorize Isaiah 41:10
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for reminding me of who you are, my strong, personal, present God. Thank you for your promises that are sure and true. You will be with me, strengthen and uphold me. For all this I am truly grateful! AMEN.