Self-Destruction Defender
“When I thought I lost me,
You knew where I left me,
You reintroduced me to Your love,
You picked up all my pieces,
put me back together,
You are the Defender of my Heart”
-Rita Springer, Defender
I had never thought of the Lord as my Defender. I grew up hearing that He was the Defender of the weak…but always thought of widows and orphans. I didn’t think I needed a Defender.
Almost a year ago, I found myself overwhelmed by stress and business and exhaustion. I knew I was several steps away from burnout and I knew that my mental health was suffering. I had dug myself into a workaholic ditch- finding my worth and value from my job.
I didn’t need a Defender from my bosses- they didn’t ask me to do this to myself. I didn’t need a Defender from someone manipulating me- no one was. I didn’t need a Defender from anyone… except myself. I had lost myself. I had abused and neglected myself. I had pushed myself beyond healthy limits. I remember hearing a lyric that felt like it was written just for me by Steffany Gretzinger. She wrote, “You’re my hero. You’re the only One who is strong enough. You’re my hero! You always pick me up before I self-destruct.”
We know how to take care of the ones we love. We learn their love languages. We learn their favorites. We learn how to love them well. How to pick them up when they’re sad and when to just sit with them there. We even know how to defend them and fight for them… but more often than not… we don’t have a grid for how to take care of ourselves and we end up in situations where we are moments from self-destruction. It’s often even for “good reasons”. Ministry, family, volunteering, working, the list goes on but the fact remains- we need a Rescuer. A Defender. Someone to step in right before we self destruct.
Psalm 23:2 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” (ESV)
The Lord loves us enough to grab us out of the unhealthiness that we’ve walked ourselves into and make us rest.
He will defend us from ourselves. Sometimes it looks like a head cold that reminds us to slow down and other times it looks like a random day off of work. But He is so quick to save us and His heart is so kind towards us.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
He is a mighty Defender FULL of JOY. When He quiets us, it’s with His love song. Just like Psalm 103:14 says, “He knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” He knows how prone we are to losing ourselves in the troubles of this life. His loving kindness moves Him to defend us- no matter what.
Take time today to be still before the Lord and ask Him where you need a Defender today and where self-destruction is creeping in.
Even if we walk towards self-destruction God is Defender.
Liafaith Fischer is a Refres{her} blogger for Ignite Life. She is a 24 year old singer/songwriter who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but has made Las Vegas her home. She feels called to communicate that not only is brokenness beautiful but it is what brings the lonely together and is what draws us closest to Christ. She does this through original songs, which can be found on her debut EP, Wander, and on her blog- liafaithlive.com. She also works full time for Grace City Church as a worship leader and as their worship/production coordinator.