Before My Feet Hit the Floor
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26, NIV).
The alarm goes off for the third time, but my back feels anchored to the mattress, and the snooze button feels like a generous friend. Facing the day feels like more than I can carry.
Sometimes getting out of bed doesn’t just feel hard. It feels impossible.
Whether it’s chronic pain, depression, grief, a body that won’t cooperate, or a season that won’t let up, I’m guessing you’ve been there. The world keeps spinning while you struggle to keep up, and the guilt of not functioning adds to the pile of everything else on your to-do list.
Psalm 73 has always been such a comfort to me because the writer, Asaph, didn’t pretend. He admitted that he almost lost every ounce of his faith because other people seemed to thrive while he endured suffering. He said he envied them in their prosperity and success while he felt himself slipping away, maybe even from sanity.
But toward the end of Psalm 73, Asaph made a statement that has carried me through some of my own hardest mornings: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26).
Smack-dab in the middle of vulnerability, he placed a three-letter word that serves as the most beautiful interruption: “but.” Then he added the most powerful authority: “but God.” Asaph didn’t need his own strength because he relied on God’s.
I’ve learned to practice Asaph’s strategy by praying before my feet ever hit the floor. As soon as my eyes open, I tell God: “My eyes are open, and my heart is beating. You must have a plan for me this moment.”
On the mornings when I struggle to find strength, I whisper the words I often come back to:
“God’s got this even if I don’t.”
A young shepherd believed these words when he stood in front of an obnoxious giant. David declared in 1 Samuel 17:47, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s …” (NIV).
Those words that changed David’s battle can change ours, as well. The fight isn’t ours to win on our own. I’m so thankful for that.
God isn’t disappointed by your limitations. He’s not standing over your bed with a stopwatch. When your flesh and your heart fail, His don’t. He’s the strength of your heart in every moment of every day. You don’t have to wait until you feel better or muster yourself out of bed. He’s got this when you don’t.
Heavenly Father, I can barely move today. Thank You for not asking me to be strong on my own. Be the strength of my heart right now, in this weakness. Quiet the voice that says I should be doing more. My eyes are open, and my heart is beating, so You must have a plan for me this moment. The battle is Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
If today's devotion helped you, you'll find 90 more like it in Rachel Wojo's new devotional, Praying Through Life's Battles: 90 Days to Strengthen Your Faith. Learn more at BattlePrayers.com.
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
Isaiah 40:29-31, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (NIV).
2 Corinthians 12:9a, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (NIV).
What is one honest sentence you could whisper to God before your feet hit the floor tomorrow morning? Write it down. Let it be the first thing you say when your eyes open.
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Wednesday, 26 August 2026.
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