Give me Strength

So you've had a hard day.  There will be hard days.  Last night at Church on the Street a homeless man wanted to speak with me before I prayed with him.  He told me the Lord spoke to him with a verse.  2 Corinthians 12:9  "But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. "  What strength!  I went to minister and serve these people and God had them ministering to me.  This man who lives on the street spoke of how God met his need.  He had chosen not to be around his cousin who caused him to make bad choices.  Choosing to not be around his cousin meant not having the opportunity to have a hot shower from time to time.  He said since he chose to be obedient and not be around his cousin, God had provided and opened other doors so he could have a hot shower.  God was showing him grace.  I am petty to even complain about any hard day I might have after hearing that story.  I get a hot shower every night.  But none the less, when I am broken and hurting God gives me the same grace.  He loves us and meets us right where our need is.  Do you feel weak today?  Do you need the pouring of God's grace on you to lift you up in strength?

Spiritual strength is the ability to lift burdens, a foundation deep enough to resist external pressures and the security of knowing you have unlimited resources.  This is the strength which sustains me through the tough days.  In Nehemiah 8:10 God tells us "This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  He provides us the strength we need for our battles.  Isaiah 40: 29-30  "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."  I am always reminded I am at my best when I am weak because through the weakness He can shine.  His strength shining through our weakness is always better than any worldly strength we can attempt to have.    Philippians 4:13  "I can do all this through him who gives me strength. "  When I think of God's power and the magnitude of His strength, I am overwhelmed. There is no strength on earth that can compare to what the Lord has.  I often ask why go to friends when you are hurting, why go to a counselor when you are hurting, why go go anyone other than an almighty God who has a greater strength than anything this world can offer.  And to make it even better, he will always listen, always care and can heal your weakness.  This is a same strength that got Jesus through suffering on the cross and that raised Him from the dead.  If you feel weak, be reminded if you have the spirit of the Lord within you, you can pull from this incredible power.  Ephesians 1: 18-23  "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength  he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,  far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."  God wants you to come to Him.  His word cries out to you, "I am here, be strengthened!". 

Psalm 65: 5-13 
"You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
   God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
   and of the farthest seas,
who formed the mountains by your power,
   having armed yourself with strength,
who stilled the roaring of the seas,
   the roaring of their waves,
   and the turmoil of the nations.
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
   where morning dawns, where evening fades,
   you call forth songs of joy. "