Physical tiredness, emotional tiredness, weird dreams, some rehearsing in my mind of negative happenings and suspicions. This has been my state off and on for a little while.

But this morning shortly after I awoke, the verse came to mind: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3 KJV).

I rehearsed this verse in my mind, which was so much better than other thoughts that sometimes try to take up residence there.

Then I opened my Bible app, and there it was! And there was an added verse about strength! “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (vv. 3-4).

I immediately felt so loved by the Father. I immediately knew my recourse of action. I immediately knew victory IS mine TODAY! I immediately knew that God was telling me to rest in Him and trust Him for the strength, peace, and joy, “for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

I took each main word and defined it for myself to help me glean the meaning completely, to make sure I didn’t miss anything the Lord wanted me to know. Let me take you down the path of my thoughts about these verses. It was such a blessing I knew I had to share with you.

• Thou: God, Lord, Almighty, able, Creator of everything, completely trustworthy.
• Will: not can, not should, not might, not perhaps, not would consider, but guaranteed, promised, definite, truth, absolute, done.
• Keep: hold close, not let go, cause to continually stay and dwell in.
• Perfect: no slack, no extra space for anything else, no imperfections, all-in-all, encompassing, past understanding, better than self-fabricated.
• Peace: rest, positive, full, faith, able to trust, calm, knowing, confidence.
• Whose: whoever, me, you.
• Mind: thoughts, thought patterns.
• Stayed: chooses to stay there, takes thoughts captive, practices, turns thoughts around to God.
• Thee: God, Jehovah, able, trustworthy, God of the possible.
• Trust: completely trusts, knows God can and will, learning who He is so I can know.
• LORD/LORD JEHOVAH: The I AM, self-sufficient God, the self-existent One, the true God, reigns over all, King of my heart, King of kings, Lord and Master, the One Who IS!!
• For ever/everlasting: Stay there and go no where else EVER; this is my new home. Never-ending, lasts forever.
• Strength: ability,  no weakness, endurance.

So, if we put this all together, a very familiar verse becomes personal, applicable, real:

The almighty, able, completely trustworthy Creator loves me so much that He holds me close and will never let me go outside restful, confident, knowing peace and calm that leaves no space for panic or negativity when I choose to trust that He can and will take care of me and what matters to me, and when I take my thoughts captive and practice turning my thoughts around to my able, completely trustworthy God, Who He is, and His all-encompassing love for me, never allowing my trust to waver or weaken but strengthening it through praise, worship, prayer, memorizing Scripture about Him, because in HIM is where I find never-ending, forever-lasting strength, a strength that will not forsake me no matter the circumstances of the moment or day or week or month or year or years!

Wow! That is exactly what I needed to hear this morning!