strength in weakness

“{Faith} is giving credit not to how strong we are (which we aren’t),
but rather how strong God is through us when we are weak.”
~ comment left on yesterday’s post

I loved this comment!  How much truth is in this one statement?  There is a Scripture that reads “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

For some reason, it took me years to wrap my head around that verse!  I would find myself in the deepest valley, yet feel I needed to be joyful … you know, yippie-skipping around and all that.  When the truth was, it took everything inside of me just to get dressed in the morning.

As I’ve been walking through a valley, one thing that never sat/sits real well with me is hearing “how strong I am.”  Gaa! is what I’d want to scream.  I don’t want to be strong!  I want to lie in bed and eat ice cream for years!

It’s true.  I am strong.  And I would question, “how in the world am I doing this?  How am I still standing?”

“Hello Tracie?  You’re not doing it.  I am.  And BTW {cuz God’s probably cool like that}, you’re not standing … I’m holding you.” says the Lord.

Ahhh … what a sweet reminder.  What sweet encouragement.

Turns out I’ve learned that the LORD is SO full of joy … that HIS character and HIS joy are what strengthens me … what holds me together when I’m weak.  I am thankful for a faith rooted so deeply in the unfailing love of God, that when the winds of life blow harshly … the less I sway {thank you, once again, Beth Moore for this wisdom}.

{read 31 days of faith from the beginning}