Good morning…

Heading into a difficult day, a close friend wrote to request my prayers of solidarity. God crafted through me the message below, a message I sense He wants all of us to experience. As we face various challenges requiring the brute strength of what my friend calls our “faith and courage muscles,” we tap into the power of God Almighty. I prayerfully emailed my friend the following encouragement. After some edits, I now send it to you.

“Our faith and courage muscles can become fatigued when we exercise them too hard for too long. When we feel completely exhausted, like we can no longer push through the pain, we learn more deeply to trust in two things.

First, we trust that God is with us, going before us to clear His own path through life’s overwhelming overgrowth. One step at a time, we instinctively inch our way down the path cleared before us by the God who so loves us.

Second, we trust that we are not in charge of the words, the experience, or the outcome of our challenging circumstances. As we surrender our make-believe control to our Creator’s all-powerful control, we rest in the companionship of our loving LORD, the God who is working all things in unison for His greatest good.

When we walk into tumultuous water way over our head, it helps to recall that Jesus faced the stormy sea of a loud, lying mob and, as he walked toward the cross, he was given the faith and the courage to focus on God’s presence and God’s higher plan. He was strengthened to stay silent, allowing God’s eternal purposes to grow gently and gradually. He was given wise strength to speak only the life-giving words the LORD laid on his lips.

Today, we are invited into the same intimate, walking-and-talking relationship, a relationship that relies solely on Holy Spirit power. Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) fills us with everything we need: But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not just the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Guided by God, I find my way to the verse of the day from Bible Gateway. No coincidence in God’s timing. Think this scripture was written just for you today?

Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious]. Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you] (Colossians 4:5-6, AMP).”

I certainly feel this verse feeding my own faith and courage muscles. In what ways does today’s message nourish your inner strength?

…Sue…