Psalm 18 (NIV) Pt II - You armed me with strength and I destroyed my foes

From Psalms

Psalm 18
(New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica)

(For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:)

³⁶You provide a broad path for my feet,
      so that my ankles do not give way.

³⁷I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
      I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
³⁸I crushed them so that they could not rise;
      they fell beneath my feet.
³⁹You armed me with strength for battle;
      you humbled my adversaries before me.
⁴⁰You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
      and I destroyed my foes.
⁴¹They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
      to the LORD, but he did not answer.
⁴²I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
      I trampled them like mud in the streets.
⁴³You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
      you have made me the head of nations.
   People I did not know now serve me,
⁴⁴   foreigners cower before me;
      as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
⁴⁵They all lose heart;
      they come trembling from their strongholds.

⁴⁶The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
      Exalted be God my Savior!
⁴⁷He is the God who avenges me,
      who subdues nations under me,
⁴⁸   who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
      from a violent man you rescued me.
⁴⁹Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
      I will sing the praises of your name.

⁵⁰He gives his king great victories;
      he shows unfailing love to his anointed,
      to David and to his descendants forever.

Today, I feel good - and ready to face another day with new strength. God has a way of answering our prayers even in ways we don't necessarily expect.  I was having a bad day yesterday. One that, in the past, would have inevitably lead me to acting out. However, I went to a meeting where we were doing a reading from Step 4 from "The 12 steps for Christians" (Please see my "Books" section for more information).  As we were reading this I realized that I was having a bad day because I wasn't being honest with myself.  I was trying to do too much - and had committed to too many things at work and at home.  I was being stretched between the two, home and work, and wasn't supporting either very well.

I started to go over the day again and analyzed how I would do it again if I were to do it over.  As I went over it I understood my role in creating the situation.  You see during the day I felt like people were out to get me - which is common for addicts.  As we go through step 4 we realize that's not really the case.  We realize that there are probably things that we do to make these situations happen.  At some point along the way I had forgotten these key truths.

So, today I am armed with strength and I am armed with knowledge.

Thanks for letting me share.