" Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have strength to go in & take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to posses, & so that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them & their descendants, a land flowing with milk & honey."
Deuteronomy 11:8-9 (NIV)
In this passage, the Lord uses Moses to instruct the Israelites about entering the Promised Land. He reminds them that the only place they will find strength to enter & live in this land, flowing with milk & honey, was through obedience to Him.
We know that God wants us to be obedient to Him everyday.....in the big things as well as the small things. And daily obedience is where we find emotional strength to walk in His peace. In one week plus one day, i will have my second hip replacement. It's been a long year since i started having trouble getting around & dealing with pain everyday. And each week, little by little, i noticed my mobility & pain was getting worse & worse. Yes, it's been very frustrating most of the time. When we are frustrated, we can't really walk in God's peace. It's hard to find reasons to be joyful - even though there are many. Sometimes things feel hopeless - even though nothing is hopeless. All this negativity can really take a toll on anyone.
But everyday, when we get up, no matter what is going on in our lives, we have a choice to make. We need to choose where our strength will come from. I know what my answer is but what about you? Will you rely on yourself, or God? I can tell you that i Fully Rely On God! I honestly don't know how i would have gotten through this past year without Him.
"I can do everything through Him who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
Whether your weakness is an actual physical one, or an emotional one - or BOTH, we can be spiritually strong by staying focused on the one & only ONE who is the real source of unending strength.
So, if you have been relying on your own strength, confess this to God & ask Him for His strength. Ask Him to help you be more obedient to Him. And admit to Him that you cannot do this on your own. They open up your heart to God's love & His strength.
Wonderful post! I pray that your surgery goes well and that you will get some relief from your pain. I personally know it is hard to stay positive when you hurt all the time but yes, we need to place our trust in the Lord and draw on Him for our strength:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle! I'm sure that all will be fine & before long, i can be in my studio painting! =)
DeleteAND all the people said AMEN!
ReplyDeleteWhen I am WEAK he is strong, HECK, when I am STRONG, he is STRONGER! =)
So glad to see you on the healing road...love ya, chick..
AMEN!
ReplyDeleteThank you my sweet friend!!!