The young girl with weary eyes served us water, then asked to take our order. We quickly stated our favorites: taco dinner, mahi mahi bowl, black beans and rice, plenty of chips and espinaca dip.
As she submitted the order on her electronic pad, I spoke quietly. “When our food comes, we will pray over it and thank God. Is there anything you would like us to pray for you?”
She looked surprised, then spent a moment in thought. “No one has ever asked to pray for me. I guess I would say ‘stability.’ Pray for me — stability.”
And so we did, but I have wondered about this young woman since that day. I have not seen her at the same restaurant. Perhaps she found a better job or maybe her life stabilized and she moved elsewhere. I still lift up her name to God and ask for continued stability — no matter what she is going through.
As God sustains us, ‘stability’ becomes our watchword. In fact, stability is also a physical necessity. Exercises that strengthen the core keep us stable, eliminating dangerous falls that can break bones and disable us.
When life is hard, we need this same stabilizing force in the spiritual, emotional, and mental realms. To keep from falling into deceptive traps or following the mob mentality that leads to chaos.
Psalm 91:1 reminds us to ‘remain stable and fixed — steady — under the shadow of the Almighty.’
How do we remain stable? We stand strong in the shadow of the Almighty.
Depending on the position of an object and its light source, shadows are created. Some long and wide. Others thin and almost imperceptible. But to live under a shadow, we must be in close proximity to the object.
In literature, we often think of shadows as a negative. As in ‘the valley of the shadow of death.’ (Psalm 23:4)
But this shadow where we find stability is the shadow formed by El-Shaddai — the God described as the mountain God. Strong. Larger than life. Seen for miles. A protective fortress we can climb and see for miles.
As we remain close, as we abide under God’s protective shadow, we remain stable. Kept from falling and able to feel that security, that sustaining power of the divine presence.
When life feels unstable and we are wobbling in the chaos, we can trust the truth that mountains are difficult to ignore or delete. We can keep our focus on the stability of the mountain God and rest in the assurance that he will not — ever — let us fall.
©2025 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
Image Attribution: moinzon / Pixabay A focus on stability begins by starting our mornings focused on God. Check out these daily encouragements in Embracing Life with Hope: Daily Encouragement for your Spiritual Journey.
Rebecca, This is a powerful reminder of being protected and stable as we are close to our God. As I read this I was also given a new way to help others. Asking the girl if you could pray for her as you blessed your food was brilliant. In this time with the uncertainty of deportation many need our prayers. Maybe one of those people was at your table. Thank you again for listening to God’s voice.
Thanks for the comment, Ginger. Yes – we can always offer to pray for people and give encouragement through that connection. Blessings to you as we all seek more stability.
My coffee visit today with a friend where we touched on remaining ‘closely tethered’. in Christ, in his word, in community. Your post reinforces the importance of the practice.
Yes, ‘closely tethered’ is a wonderful way to express living in the presence of Christ, sharing the Word, and being in community.
Stability was a wise thing to ask prayer for.
Yes, and such an unusual request – but also so necessary.