Finding True Sustenance: What Nourishes Your Spirit?

The other day, I was helping out at church, and my darling 5-month-old daughter was with me, “supervising.” As I was getting things done, she kept her eyes on me, watching my every move. One of the ladies there remarked, “She’s keeping her eyes on mama,” and another replied, “She knows where her sustenance comes from.”

That got me thinking: Where do I get my sustenance? My question to you is, do you know where yours comes from? What gets you going in the morning and keeps you going when things get challenging?

If you want to truly understand what your sustenance is, examine what you focus on throughout the day. Like my daughter, what are you keeping your eyes on? Is it your family, friends, community, money, career, or is it Christ?

In John 14:27, Jesus says:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

If your focus is anything but Christ, you’re likely to find anxiety, worry, depression, chaos, and other undesirable things creeping into your day. Only Christ can give you lasting and true peace and joy. Examine your life: what are you focused on, and does it result in lasting and true peace, joy, and other positive fruits? If not, then it’s time to shift your focus to the One who can truly feed, nurture, and sustain you.

The sustenance a baby gets from a mother does several things: it helps them grow, creates a bond, and protects them from illness. Looking to Jesus does the same for us.

We grow into images that better reflect who He is.

• “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)
• “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We form a bond with our God and Savior as we depend on Him daily.

• “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” Matthew 6:25-26 (NLT)

• “And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” Matthew 6:30 (NLT)

• “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

He protects us from the evils of this world.

• “But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.” Psalms 33:18

The Bible calls us children of God, and if we are children of God, then we must rely on Him to care for us and sustain us. When we do, He will help us grow, He will draw near to us, and He will protect us, leading to peace in this life, no matter what the world throws at us.