"He Gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
This past week at work we were required to take resiliency training. At first I was like many and didn't want to "have to" sit through yet another training session that didn't interest me. We were fortunate because the training wasn't too painful and infact, the instructor made it interactive and the time went quickly. What also made the training interesting was the fact that I was able to learn a bit more about those around me, you know the people you spend most of your days with and yet know so little about... yah those people.
The instructor kicked off the training by having us take a little test (no grades, no right/wrong answers) and then scored up our points at the end as an indication as to how resilient we'd rate ourselves based on the questions. My score came back fairly high. As the instructor asked each of us why we thought our score landed one way or another she came to me and I responded that I'd already been through the worst thing in life I could imagine so anything else wouldn't compare. I then added my faith is strong as well and that helps me. Now as I've had time to reflect on that question, my answer is more than I earlier responded. What I said was true, but it's more than just that. I missed my witnessing opportunity. Yes, I said my faith but it's more than just faith. God said in his word, "He gives strength to the weary..." that is why I can say I am resilient. God further says, "...and increases the power of the weak." I've overcome one of the greatest tragedies of my life because God gave me strength and continues to increase that strength when I'm at my weakest points.
So often I've heard people say that there are certain things in life they just couldn't handle or that they'd not survive. I'm here to proclaim... you'd be amazed at how strong you can be, not within yourself but through Christ. Our Savior endured more than we can imagine, suffered more than we'd want to ever know. Before the guards came to take Jesus in Matthew 26:39, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Just for that moment, a split second, as a man in flesh and bone, I believe Jesus may have thought maybe he just couldn't handle what he was about to face either. Can you imagine how he felt at that very moment? He knew he wouldn't survive, he knew his fate if he would save man from himself but he faced it, walked it, lived it and although died here on earth... he still endured, he still finished the good work he began here.
When I lost my son, I honestly didn't think that I'd survive. I had no idea how strong God would make me and how by spending 3 1/2 years with a life that was bigger and brighter than any one life I've ever known before or since I'd forever be changed, strengthened, encouraged, and determined to face whatever life had to throw my way because I was shown just what I was made of, and just how strong my God is. People are right, we can't survive situations or events, but we can overcome them through the strength and power that God gives us to bounce back from them.
I'm sure you have heard many people say that God never gives you more than you can handle and I'm sure many of you have said, really, I'm not sure about that at this point in my life with what I'm going through. Yet, we press on through the struggle and find that when we take it a moment at a time and get past that moment when we ask for the "cup to pass from us" we find that we begin to be strengthened and that God begins to increase our power to overcome and be a witness for him. It's through our struggles, our hardships that we grow and become more compassionate, loving people. It's that way in all things in nature. Think of the beautiful butterfly, what a struggle to come out of that cocoon but when it finally does look at how beautiful it is when it takes flight and dances in the sunbeams around the flowers drawing in life sustaining nectar. We are like those butterflies, struggling to come through a "cocoon" but when we do.... oh so beautiful dancing in the sOnbeams of this life.
How resilient are you? Do you count on your own strength when facing the battles of this life or do you turn to the one who created you and proclaimed that you would have the strength to take to make it? Casting Crowns sings a song that sums it up in a few short lyrics, "You were made to be Courageous". Your resiliency comes from the father who is always with you, who never forsakes you and who will never leave you.
Blessings,
Heather
