Tag: Strength

Nuggets of Joy, Peace, and Perseverance

Philippians 4:12-13 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Have you read Philippians? Oh my goodness it is chock full of some amazing verses about joy and peace and perseverance. It is only 4 short chapters and fills up just 12 pages in my study Bible but it sooo good. Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote this letter to the church that he started in Philippi. Did you read that…Paul was IN PRISON and his letter was about joy and peace and perseverance?

Clearly Paul’s joy does not come from his outward circumstances but from his inward strength. Strength that he gets from being filled with the Holy Spirit and having a relationship with Christ. In fact, Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all THIS through him who gives me strength.” That doesn’t mean God will give him supernatural strength to escape from prison or single handedly conquer the Romans or even convince the prison guards to let him go. It means with or without earthly things, Paul will have the strength to do THIS. And what is THIS you ask?  It is to persevere in his mission to spread the good news of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

You may not be in prison like Paul, but it is super easy to be discouraged about your circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. Would you like to worry less like Paul?  Would you like to have strength like Paul? I’ve got the answer for you. Pray more. Worship more. I saw a meme that my dad posted this week on social media, and it made the answer so clear to me.  It said:

Worship can get you through

the roughest times in your life

because it shifts your focus

from the problem

to the problem solver.

True peace comes from knowing God is in control. When you believe that, I mean truly believe that God has a plan and is in control, it will guard your mind from worry and anxiety. Like Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I know, easy to say but hard to do. So, I encourage you to give it a try this week. Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray, worship, and read (or reread) Philippians. Search for the nuggets of joy, peace, and perseverance that Paul is sharing in this letter and imagine it was written specifically for you. Your week will be so much better for it. It was for me, for today I have joy.

Lord God, thank you for the words you gave us through your servant Paul. Words that are meant to guide us to a strong personal relationship with you. Keep my eyes focused on the strength that you give me and not my earthly circumstances. Amen

His Grace, My Weakness

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Isaiah 55:11 “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Have you ever been afraid? Of course, you have. Everyone has been afraid of something. But did you get past your fear or did you allow it to cripple you, stop you in your tracks, steal your rest and destroy your peace? Fear can do that to you. It did it to me this year. I was afraid for my son. Afraid for his mental health, afraid for his future, afraid for his life, afraid for his happiness. My son was a senior in high school and suffering from depression. I had no idea how to help him. I was scared that one little thing would push him over the edge, and he would shut down for good. So, what did I do? I dropped to my knees, and I prayed. I asked God to give me the wisdom to help him since I was completely clueless. I asked God to intervene. I asked God to hold him in His arms and comfort my son like no other earthly father could. Then I got up and called the doctor, call a licensed counselor, called his school, talked to my friends, asked for prayers from my family, and anything else I could think of. I was NOT going to lose my son. The enemy could not have him. So, I fought for my son with every strength of my being.

During this time, I stopped writing my devotionals. I stopped getting in the word every day. I was all consumed with helping my son. I stepped away from my calling. Then when my son started showing improvement and started to smile again, I thought about writing again but I was scared. I was scared that I wouldn’t have anything to write about. I was scared that I was tapped out because I had not been in the word like I use to be. But everywhere I turned I kept receiving confirmation from God that He wanted me to start writing again. I would read a book and there would be phrases about using your voice, I would listen to a message on Sunday and there would be phrases about using your voice, I would go to a Women’s conference, and it would be about, yep you guessed it, using your voice. But I was scared that I wouldn’t know what to write. Then God reminded me that it really isn’t ME that is writing it. It is God that is giving me the inspiration, the ideas, and the words to say. So today I sat down with my Bible and my notepad and started writing. I thought I was going to write about something completely different than my son and my fears, the mistakes I made by stepping away from the word, and the confirmation I received to start writing again, but this is what ended up on the page. So, I guess there is someone out there that needs to hear this today.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

I will allow God to share my weaknesses, my fears, and my shortcomings with whomever reads this so that His word that goes out from my mouth will not return to Him empty.

Lord, today I put my trust in you. I rebuke the enemy and submit myself to God. Amen

Are You Tired of 2020?

Isaiah 40: 31 “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.”

Are you tired of 2020? Have you lost faith that things will get better? The people of Israel sure felt that way after they were forcibly removed from their homes and taken to a foreign country for almost 50 years. Their homes and churches were destroyed, they were enslaved, and they were forced to live a different way than what they were used to. They were tired and losing faith.

But then a prophet named Isaiah reminded them that their God was in charge. He reminded them that from the very beginning God had been with them and He had never left them. God is more powerful than anything and anyone on this earth. He is greater than kings, presidents, and any kind of ruler. He is greater than famines, disasters, and plagues. God has always had a plan and His knowledge and strength is greater than anything we can imagine or hope to understand.

Isaiah 40:28-29 says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak.”

That is MY God. That is where I place my trust, my faith, my worries. Isaiah goes on to say in verse 31, “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.” God’s power and strength never decreases. His strength is our source of strength. So, when you feel life crushing you and you cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength.  Put your hope in God.

Thank you, Lord for being a source of strength for me during this past year. Thank you for your love and constant presence in my life. Amen.

Strength and Trust

Isaiah 40:31 “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.”

Even the strongest people get tired at times.  Tired of worrying.  Tired of feeling helpless.  Tired of isolation.  Tired of pretending everything is going to be okay.  Even though the trials and tribulations of our lives today may seem overwhelming, God’s power and strength never fails.  God is never too tired or too busy to help and listen.  His strength is our source of strength.  When you feel all of life crushing you and you cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength.

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all you heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  It is hard to trust others right now.  Everything is changing so quickly, and it is difficult to put your faith in God.  But God knows what is best for you. He is a better judge of what you want than even you are.  Bring your decisions to God in prayer; use the Bible as your guide; and then follow God’s leading.  He will make your paths straight by both guiding and protecting you.

Your faith in God is not going to take you out of the problems you are facing, but your faith will take you through them.  For in Romans 8:28 it says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  This does not mean that all that happens to you is good.  The enemy is present in this fallen world, but God can turn every circumstance around for your long-range good.  So, turn to God for strength and trust Him with all your heart.

Dear God, you are the one who strengthens me and gives me hope.  Thank you for your everlasting love.  We trust you to bring us through this storm.