Gain Strength Today

Nehemiah 8: ¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

============

“My new car” I cried out! Someone had broken out the window and stolen items in the car. I was miserable the entire day. ”Relax” someone said to me. “Relax, what do they know?” I thought to myself. I mean this is “my” car! They are just saying relax because it is not their car.

• Sometimes the day to day worries distract me from peace.
• Sometimes the day to day troubles distract me from solitude.
• Sometimes the day to day trials distract me from tranquility.

It was difficult to see GOD with joy with fresh glass on my seat. I mean I have to call insurance, police, take the car to get it fixed. This is a huge inconvenience. My mind kept racing towards calamity. BUT GOD wants something different.

• GOD wants me to let go of my stuff so I can see HIM in the middle of calamity.
• GOD wants me to walk in peace as a practice because trials will appear out of nowhere.
• GOD wants me to focus on HIS strength as the center of my joy.

As I matured I saw the car situation was only a minor thing compared to what life had in store for me later. There are two things I can be sure of, life will have trials and GOD will always be there so I can have joy in HIS strength.

• Are you in the middle of a trial?
• Are you grieving about something?
• Can you take a moment to enjoy a meal and feed someone who does not have the means?
• Will you look to the LORD as your strength today rather than focusing on today’s calamity?