You have money issues, family issues, weight issues, or some sort of "issue" that you struggle with. Everyone does. And when this issue gets too stressful, we tend to wonder if we can handle it anymore. We wonder if we are strong enough, smart enough, or patient enough to make it out to the other side still in tact.
But I've got news for you (and me): You're stronger than you think!
Surprised by Strength
When I went to college, my mom had to take a third-shift job at Walmart to make ends meet (thank you, Mom!). Not only was the job just undesirable to begin with, but my mom is also not a night person, has a birth defect in her back that causes a lot of pain, and she also just already had enough on her plate without adding that job... again, THANKS MOM!
But something happened while Mama was working there. Her body became stronger in ways that she didn't know were possible. She could lift heavier things than she thought she could after years of back issues and surgery. She also got semi-used to her new schedule.
Don't get me wrong- she still pretty much hated the job. She was not happy there. But that time working for Walmart showed her that she was so much stronger than she knew. With perseverance, practice, and some help from God, her back got stronger, she could lift heavier things, and the night shift didn't murder her.
Mom may not have liked her situation, but she was still able to persevere, work hard, do the job set before her, and learn from the situation.
Called to be Strong
I am in the process of looking for a second job just to make ends meet. I'm worried about my blog, my energy level, and my injured hip that causes a lot of pain when I over-do it. But I am stronger that I know, and I am capable of whatever I end up having to do.
What my mom did is what we are called to do. We may not always like where we are. We may feel like we just cannot do it and that life is going to be unbearable during whatever season it is that we are struggling through. But be encouraged, friends! You are stronger than you think- especially as you rely on Christ for help.
God never promised that this life would be easy, but he did promise to be with us, to sustain us, to help us, and to offer us peace and joy. Whether we decide to rely on him and take up his peace and joy is up to us. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. And either way, we still have to face the situation that we are in, so why not take God up on his offer of strength, peace, and joy instead of trying to do it alone?
You are stronger than you think, friends, but as God's peculiar treasures, we find that strength that we didn't know we had when we let God provide it to us. When we decide to persevere for God's glory, we find that we are much more capable and strong than we thought!
