God Strengthens Me When I’m Weak
I was listening to a Forrest Frank song the other day and one of his lyrics are “Trials are tests”. It encouraged me. We so often focus on trials as being a setback - instead it is a way to show our love and faithfulness to Jesus. It is a way to show our strength. I was thinking the other day about the trials I’ve been through and the weakness I felt prior to the situation. Maybe when we go through hard times it’s to strengthen us in our weakness(es). We are blessed to have a loving God who wants only the best for us. Sometimes, we go through struggles that we just can’t wrap our heads around and it leaves us saying “God, why? Is this how it’s going to be all my life?”
I know that I’ve been there, and felt that way recently. Am I always going to struggle with eating certain foods and having GI problems after? Are we always going to have difficult fall seasons? Are things just going to keep breaking in my home? Are we just going to keep getting in the mornings with things like broken ankles and floods and a miscarriage? The thing is… maybe. I have to know that all of these things can happen at any moment.
However, it’s not for my worry. God wants us to give up all our worries and fears and concerns unto Him (1 Peter 5:7). He doesn’t want us to fear about what’s next. He wants us to rest in the truth that He is our savior, He will take care of us, and He will always turn everything together for our good (Romans 8:28).
There will be trials, there will be struggles - but Jesus will overcome and He will get you through (James 1:2-4). We don’t have to worry, we don’t have to try to control the next moment - God has already taken care of all of it!
So as I sit here reflecting on the past month of my life, I wonder how can I encourage others to get through the difficult days? The struggles of daily life? The mundane things that can happen like leaks, and car problems, and hard behaviors from kids?
Something practical I do every morning is thank God. Every morning when I open my eyes I thank God for another day, for my family, my home, for the sunshine.
The next thing I do is focus on Him through worship music. When I want my first thought of the morning to be positive, light, and joyous - I have to make that choice. I have to make the choice to have positive thoughts, especially in the morning when I know I have a million things to do that day plus manage to make dinner, read my Bible, take care of my family and work full time. I have to choose the thought, I have to choose to focus on God’s word and the light that He brings to my life. If I choose to focus on my to-do list, the negative things going on, and that I’m stressed - then my heart and mind will also focus on those things - thus leaving me stressed, overwhelmed, and anxious.
How are any of those feelings helping me be a better woman? They’re not. What are those feelings teaching my children, my husband, other believers? That if we focus on those things, those things will come to life. So we need to choose to focus on the positive, the blessings, the gratitude, the love of the Lord so that we can feel that peace, joy and contentment that He wants for us!
So, my dear friend, what are some things you can focus on today that will encourage you and uplift you? What are you grateful for? What can you set your mind and heart on that will help you feel encouraged? What are some thoughts you can introduce that will help the trees of your heart grow into a fruitful and joyful place to be?
Here are some books and songs that have encouraged me:
A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George
What an Awesome God by Phil Whickham
I Believe in the Life of Jesus
Life Management for Busy Women by Elizabeth George
Psalm 40, Hebrews, Isaiah