09-03-2026, 01:56 PM
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/fu...qus_thread
When "Delete" Leads to Peace
March 21, 2025
by Lynn Cowell
It felt like I couldn’t help myself. In my bed in the dark, I kept reading the text repeatedly then laying my phone down, only to pick it up again minutes later. And each time, waves of pain flooded my heart. Did they really say that?
How could they?
Though I knew fresh hurt would surface every time, like a tongue rolling over a sore tooth, my eyes kept returning to the message. Then I finally did it. I deleted the text. If I couldn’t stop reading it, I needed to get rid of it. I wanted to believe my interpretation of the text was not true. I wanted to believe this person knew my heart and intentions and therefore knew me. But looking to be understood by the wrong person was heart-wrenching. I needed to turn to the One who knows me fully: my heavenly Father. In Psalm 63, it appears David wrote from a similar place of deep ache. This psalm was written in the desert of Judah, when those who should have supported David were chasing him to kill him. In desperation, David turned to the Lord: “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:6-8).
For me, ruminating on the text message was creating anxiety in my heart. Like David, I needed to hang on to the hand holding me. So with intention, I moved into God’s peace, stepping away from the source of my turmoil and toward His help. God’s Word soothed the stinging of someone else’s words and began to remove the pain barricading peace from my heart. Agonizing about a hurtful situation can block us from experiencing God’s help and peace. But clinging to our Father through His Word helps us remember: He is for us (Isaiah 41:10). You, too, may find your mind wanting to recount hurts over and over, which stirs up anxiety in your soul. Maybe it’s time for a “delete.” Sometimes this is what we need to gain God’s peace and awareness of His presence. You may need to remove yourself from a room so you can talk to your heavenly Father about hurtful words spoken to you and instead meditate on His Word. Or perhaps the Father will lead you to “delete” unnecessary anxiety by putting some healthy boundaries in place in a relationship or looking for a different job. Whatever your “delete” may be, hold tightly to the One holding you along the way.
When "Delete" Leads to Peace
March 21, 2025
by Lynn Cowell
Quote:“On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:6-8 (NIV)
It felt like I couldn’t help myself. In my bed in the dark, I kept reading the text repeatedly then laying my phone down, only to pick it up again minutes later. And each time, waves of pain flooded my heart. Did they really say that?
How could they?
Though I knew fresh hurt would surface every time, like a tongue rolling over a sore tooth, my eyes kept returning to the message. Then I finally did it. I deleted the text. If I couldn’t stop reading it, I needed to get rid of it. I wanted to believe my interpretation of the text was not true. I wanted to believe this person knew my heart and intentions and therefore knew me. But looking to be understood by the wrong person was heart-wrenching. I needed to turn to the One who knows me fully: my heavenly Father. In Psalm 63, it appears David wrote from a similar place of deep ache. This psalm was written in the desert of Judah, when those who should have supported David were chasing him to kill him. In desperation, David turned to the Lord: “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:6-8).
For me, ruminating on the text message was creating anxiety in my heart. Like David, I needed to hang on to the hand holding me. So with intention, I moved into God’s peace, stepping away from the source of my turmoil and toward His help. God’s Word soothed the stinging of someone else’s words and began to remove the pain barricading peace from my heart. Agonizing about a hurtful situation can block us from experiencing God’s help and peace. But clinging to our Father through His Word helps us remember: He is for us (Isaiah 41:10). You, too, may find your mind wanting to recount hurts over and over, which stirs up anxiety in your soul. Maybe it’s time for a “delete.” Sometimes this is what we need to gain God’s peace and awareness of His presence. You may need to remove yourself from a room so you can talk to your heavenly Father about hurtful words spoken to you and instead meditate on His Word. Or perhaps the Father will lead you to “delete” unnecessary anxiety by putting some healthy boundaries in place in a relationship or looking for a different job. Whatever your “delete” may be, hold tightly to the One holding you along the way.