Recently I read a lovely short story where the Christian man’s chief prayer was ”Keep me STEADY LORD.” This inspired me to search the Scriptures regarding being steady or steadfast.
The word ”steady” in Hebrew – Yatziv – means constant, permanent, stable, fixed. In Greek the word is statheros meaning firm, orderly, immovable… ”Steadfast” – chesed – means unwavering love, loyalty and the same as steady.
The main aspect of being steadfast in God is found in Psalm 112:6 – ”The righteous will never be shaken, they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news – their hearts are STEADFAST, trusting in the Lord.”
James 1:12 states – ”Blessed is the man who REMAINS STEADFAST under trial, who perseveres, for when he/she has stood the test, he/she will receive the CROWN OF LIFE which God has promised to those who love Him.”
1 Cor. 15:58 – ”Therefore, BE STEADFAST, IMMOVABLE, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.” God’s steadfast towards us is steady, strong, secure, firm and constant. ”His steadfast love endures forever” appears in every verse in Psalm 136 and often elsewhere in the Bible.
An online phrase I saw for God’s steadfast love, tells that ”God’s steadfast love endures and persists through our unbelief. It remains steady during our rebellion, and like His love, it is fixed and firm and continues to exist regardless of our feelings, our responses to Him, or to our circumstances.” (Emphasis mine)
Part of my personal prayer I pray these days is – Keep me steady Lord. Keep me steady in serving You, in loving You, even if I’m in pain, or uncertain about certain outcomes. Keep me steadfast in prayers, in worship, in obedience to Your will for my life. Keep me steady and faithful in remembering to thank You daily for all Your bountiful provision, for Your mercy, and Your unconditional love and grace. Give me steady strength and endurance to withstand temptation. Help me to stand firm in faithfulness, and to be immovable with unwavering determination to grow closer to You every day, to pick up my cross and follow You without any hesitation, knowing that You help me carry any burdens I have. May Your steadfast love for me and in me be like a spreading fire – igniting others to serve You and to burn brightly for You.
I pray like David who wrote in Psalm 51:10 – ”Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME.”
Thank You that after we have ”suffered for a little while, that You, the God of grace, who called us to Your eternal glory in Christ – will Himself restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast.” (from 1 Peter 5:10)
Thank You that Isaiah 26:3 says – ”You, Lord, will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
”My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.” (Psalm 57:7)
Myrtle Turunen