Finding My Footing

I did not wake up one morning and suddenly announce, “My balance has changed.” The realization came quietly through ordinary moments. Walking across uneven ground, I became more aware of where I placed my feet. Working in my garden, I noticed the stiffness in my knee when I stood after bending. And every now and then, I found myself reaching for a railing or something nearby to steady myself. Those little moments seemed to be whispering the same thing: Pay attention.

As I thought about this, Psalm 37 came to mind. David writes: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”
Psalm 37:23–24

I have read those words many times, usually thinking about life decisions, difficult seasons, and trusting God to direct my path. But lately I have been hearing them differently. The Lord upholdeth him with His hand. What a picture. God does not say that we will never stumble. He does not promise that every step will always feel strong or certain. He promises His presence and His steadying hand.

Then, just a verse later, David says something that speaks even more deeply to me in this season: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken…” Psalm 37:25. David was looking back over his life. He had known victories and failures, mountains and valleys, strength and weakness. Yet when he reflected on the years behind him, his testimony was not about how strong he had been. His testimony was about the faithfulness of God.

That changes the way I think about growing older. When I began running marathons at, strength meant endurance. It meant pacing myself, pushing through difficult miles, and continuing toward the finish line. Now, as I approach a new decade, perhaps God is teaching me another expression of strength. Sometimes strength means knowing when to reach for support. And Scripture reminds me that receiving support has never been outside of God’s plan.

Isaiah 46:4 says: “Even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you… I will carry, and will deliver you.” What a promise. The God who carried me when I was younger has not changed because I have gotten older. My body may change. My pace may change. My stride may change. But the One carrying me remains the same.

When I think about everything these legs have carried me through, marathon finish lines, school buildings, hospital corridors, airports, ministry assignments, gardens, and ordinary days. I realize they deserve care, not criticism. But even more importantly, I remember that it was never my legs alone carrying me. God was carrying me.

Perhaps paying attention to my balance is not about fearing what I am losing. Maybe it is about gratefully caring for what God has entrusted to me while remembering where my true security has always been. My stride may not look the way it once did. That is all right. David could look back and say, “I have been young, and now am old,” and still testify that God had been faithful. I want that to be my testimony too.

When you notice a change in your body this week, pause before criticizing it. Thank God for how He has carried you through the years and ask Him for wisdom to care for yourself in this season. My stride may change, but the God who orders my steps is still holding my hand.

Pearl’s Prayer

Lord, thank You for being faithful through every season of my life. When my strength changes or my steps feel uncertain, remind me that You have not changed. Teach me to care for the body You have given me with wisdom and gratitude. Order my steps, steady me when I stumble, and help me trust the hand that has carried me all these years. Amen.

I Am the Vessel, God Is the Grace.