When life feels overwhelming and the goals ahead seem impossible, God reminds us that we don’t have to rely on our own strength alone. He is our strength when we feel weak and our shield when challenges, doubts, and setbacks come against us. Trusting God with our plans allows us to move forward with confidence, knowing He provides the help, protection, and guidance we need along the way.

Highlights:

• God provides strength and protection when we face challenges that feel too big to overcome
• Trusting God means inviting Him into our goals instead of trying to accomplish everything alone
• Prayer keeps us connected to God’s guidance, wisdom, and provision
• God can protect us from discouragement, setbacks, and fear as we pursue His purposes
• Remembering God’s past faithfulness helps us trust Him with future challenges

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What is one area of your life where you need God to be your strength and shield right now? How can trusting Him change the way you approach your goals, challenges, or uncertainties?

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Full Transcript Below:

God Will Be Your Strength and Shield
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” – Psalm 28:7, NIV 

My grandmother, Lena Wyckoff, founded a popular railroad history museum. The process took years and required her and other volunteers with the organization she founded to overcome many different challenges. But Grandma persisted because she said God inspired her to set the goal of starting the museum, and she was sure that he would help her every step of the way. As Grandma’s volunteer group made more and more progress, people started calling Grandma “the little engine who could,” after the main character in the classic children’s story “The Little Engine that Could” about a train engine that overcame challenges to pull a train over a mountain. Grandma loved her new nickname. But she let people know that the reason she could be “the little engine who could” was because she relied on God’s strength to help her. God also served as a shield for Grandma, protecting her from discouragement whenever a new challenge popped up along the way. Since Grandma trusted God to be her strength and shield, she was able to persist and finally achieve t