Bless the Lord, my soul; all my being bless his holy name! For he fills your days with good things, your youth is renewed like the eagle's (psalm 103:5).

All of us need times of renewal. That's why we do meditation, go on retreats, seek silence and solitude. Trials can burden us. Conflicts can weary us. Life can wear us out.

Psalm 103 says God renews our strength "like the eagle's".  What does it mean to have our strength renewed like the eagle's? Eagle's aren't particularly strong except in flight, and in their ability to soar high in the sky.  When we ask God to gives us an eagle's strength, we are asking for the faith and trust that helps us soar above life's daily struggles. For we can only leave behind the tendency to sink into the mire of doubt and misgivings by rising above them.

Life offers us so many different opportunities. I have the power to choose. But God has the power to renew. In my journey, I should remember psalm 103. For it reminds me that if I look to the Lord for my strength, I can hope to keep my eyes fixed on what is above.