Trying to Walk Upright (when it feels hard to walk at all!)

In my devotions this morning I realized that I am experiencing alot of anxiety. It seems like every day there are new developments.

My prayer was, is," Lord, please help me to know how to handle today. Bring me wisdom and insight, along with understanding. Help me to understand who You are."

I found in the book of Amos (5:14), "Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is."

I know that I need to actively guard my heart against bitterness or vindictiveness. I desire to seek how to love others well, in truth; to seek good, not evil. I need to search my heart and ask the Lord to help me walk upright.

That brought me to thinking, what exactly does it mean to walk upright? I went to www.bible.org. It is a great resource to investigate different translations of the bible and to get insight in to what the original languages meant when using certain words. I would encourage you, dear reader, to use it as God works in your heart.

I learned that in Psalm 94:15 God says, "For justice will prevail, and all the morally upright will be vindicated." (NET bible) In Hebrew, the word "upright" means "all the pure of heart." The heart is viewed as the place of one's motives and moral character. The "pure of heart" are God's faithful followers who trust in Him and love Him, and as a result, will experience his deliverance. "Upright" does not imply sinlessness, but rather a pure desire to seek Him.

So, as I try to walk upright, even though I am sometimes finding it hard to walk at all, I continue to trust that God will actively work in my life to reveal truth and the right way in which to walk.

Proverbs 2:7 says "He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the ways of this faithful ones."

Walk uprightly as one who is unfailingly loved by the Lord who is your Shield.