the strength God supplies
Have you ever just felt like you were going to drop over from serving? It happens. Well, not the dropping over part...much, anyway. I did faint once in the midst of serving a new mom the meal I had just cooked for her family a few days after their baby was born. But I was also a few months pregnant, had been cooking for a few hours in a HOT kitchen and was very dehydrated. First ambulance ride! Got to find out from "professionals" that yes, I was indeed pregnant.
These days I am not pregnant but sometimes I still feel as if I could drop over from exhaustion. Exercising helps. Eating right helps. But ultimately, I have to depend on God. Sometimes I forget this and I wonder why I am getting so irritated, so tempted to complain, and feel as if I can't go on. I have learned to pray for myself in that moment. I pray that God will raise up others to pray for me too, right then...and that their prayers will be answered. And I cannot tell you how many times I have felt the effect of these prayers. The other morning during my quiet time, I was tempted to over-introspect at this Proverb, "Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys." 18:9. I began churning with condemnation, thinking, "Am I slack in my work God? Are you displeased with me?" A few minutes of praying in this way went by when God began speaking to my anxious heart. I believe He spoke this to me..."Why do you think I am angry with you? Do not believe that lie from the evil one. I see your efforts, your faithful service and I do not despise it as you do. It honors me. I bless it and multiply it. Do not look at all you lack, but what you have. I give as I see fit--including the strength to serve. It is not your strength, it is mine. For without me, you can do nothing. But with me, you can do all things because I will strengthen you. O rest in this today, daughter. Is is MY strength I give and this is perfect, all you need. Call upon me and I will give it. I never call you to a task without supplying all you need to do it. It is no surprise to me that you are weak. But it is I who make you strong. Come to me then...come to me."
I can only say that the comfort and peace of these words lifted my heart that morning. I felt a new thankfulness to God...realizing that it is ALWAYS He that supplies my strength to serve, and that He will keep doing so as long as I live. What comfort! When I am called to a task, I can know, really KNOW that God is going to increase my ability to be equal to the task as I begin walking into it. He will meet me in the task and strengthen me to finish it. This is really all I need to walk this road of life. He truly is the beginning, middle, and end of my salvation.
These days I am not pregnant but sometimes I still feel as if I could drop over from exhaustion. Exercising helps. Eating right helps. But ultimately, I have to depend on God. Sometimes I forget this and I wonder why I am getting so irritated, so tempted to complain, and feel as if I can't go on. I have learned to pray for myself in that moment. I pray that God will raise up others to pray for me too, right then...and that their prayers will be answered. And I cannot tell you how many times I have felt the effect of these prayers. The other morning during my quiet time, I was tempted to over-introspect at this Proverb, "Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys." 18:9. I began churning with condemnation, thinking, "Am I slack in my work God? Are you displeased with me?" A few minutes of praying in this way went by when God began speaking to my anxious heart. I believe He spoke this to me..."Why do you think I am angry with you? Do not believe that lie from the evil one. I see your efforts, your faithful service and I do not despise it as you do. It honors me. I bless it and multiply it. Do not look at all you lack, but what you have. I give as I see fit--including the strength to serve. It is not your strength, it is mine. For without me, you can do nothing. But with me, you can do all things because I will strengthen you. O rest in this today, daughter. Is is MY strength I give and this is perfect, all you need. Call upon me and I will give it. I never call you to a task without supplying all you need to do it. It is no surprise to me that you are weak. But it is I who make you strong. Come to me then...come to me."
I can only say that the comfort and peace of these words lifted my heart that morning. I felt a new thankfulness to God...realizing that it is ALWAYS He that supplies my strength to serve, and that He will keep doing so as long as I live. What comfort! When I am called to a task, I can know, really KNOW that God is going to increase my ability to be equal to the task as I begin walking into it. He will meet me in the task and strengthen me to finish it. This is really all I need to walk this road of life. He truly is the beginning, middle, and end of my salvation.
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