I don’t know about you, but life has me feeling pretty weak these days. Have you ever felt that way? Have you experienced rejection, a broken relationship, a fractured career, or the shattering of what you thought would be?
I have. I’’m learning that’s it’s not as easy as a..b..c.. 1..2..3.. you’re free! It takes time. It takes perseverance. I guess I thought I would be 100% by now. I am realizing though that it took time for a relationship to build and it takes time for a relationship to end. I have been reminded almost every day this week of the break in one of my relationships. A call from someone who knew we were connected, a document they gave me, their information saved in one of my accounts, a song, a picture… It hurts – a lot.
I sometimes wish I could see my broken heart because then I could see the progress. But how do you measure progress? How do you measure getting over someone? Should you measure that? Is that how complete healing will come? I can never forget this person. I will always remember (unless I have a head injury or am diagnosed with Alzheimer or Dementia). But I choose what I remember. That’s the hard part. It’s a pretty constant battle. It’s easy to look at all the bad and just say a swooping blatant statement in a crass tone and be done with it- right? Wrong. It’s hard to know what to think. It’s hard to know what to say. It’s just hard. It hurts and I want it all to go away. I want all the pain to leave me alone.
This week I told God I’m so weak. I felt like I didn’t have much of anything left in me. How do you press on when you feel like you have nothing left? Then two words came to me strong and courageous.
I was like God I feel like the exact opposite of strong and courageous! I feel weak and feeble!
Strong:
• having great physical power and ability
• having a lot of strength
• not easy to break or damage
• not sick or injured
Courageous:
• very brave
• having or showing courage
How many times does God tell His children to be strong and courageous? A lot!
Here are at least 10 verses
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
2. Deuteronomy 31:7
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.
3. Deuteronomy 31:23
The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
4. Joshua 1:6
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
5. Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
6. Joshua 1:18
Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”
7. Joshua 10:25
Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
8. 1 Chronicles 22:13
Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
9. 1 Chronicles 28:20
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
10. 2 Chronicles 32:7
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him
I do not feel strong but God says to be strong. I do not feel courageous but God says to be courageous. Sometimes I think being strong is just showing up. I know a lot of people who are just “checking out”. I don’t blame them. I have so often tempted to “check out” and do from time to time. But I know when I “check out” I’m not living. I’m hiding. We are not those who shrink back (Hebrews 10:39). So I have to push through the pain. I have to press on when I am weak because when I am weak then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). If I keep showing up. If I keep living life. If I keep pressing through I am showing that because of Christ I am strong.
When I choose to show up, regardless of how I feel, I am having courage. I am facing each day. I am choosing to have my heart examined sometimes several times a day so that when I walk each day people don’t see me, but they see the Warrior of my heart and soul, my Savior, my Rock, my Everything. Because I am weak and I’m telling you the honest truth I can not handle this life on my own. I am nothing without Jesus.
Be strong and courageous!
“Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer” Romans 12:12
