The Sign of Meager Strength

 We all have times of distress in our lives. It could be a physical ailment that brings us stress. Perhaps, we run into financial problems which cause us anxiety. Then, of course, we can have trouble in our relationships with others that cause us trouble. No matter what causes the distress it is how we handle it that teaches us about ourselves.

The Word of God gives us a great insight at this point. (Proverbs 24:10) "If you show yourself lacking courage on the day of distress, your strength is meager." We might see ourselves as mature, strong believers, but we can't really tell how we are doing until a day of distress comes. Then, if we lack courage to face the situation and depend on the Lord to see us through, we are really lacking strength. 

Spiritual strength is not something we get by praying one prayer on the spur of the moment as a crisis breaks upon us. We get stronger spiritually by taking each day as an opportunity to learn from God's Word and to apply what we learn. It comes when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us each day, and we are faithful to do what He says.

It is like physical exercise. We flex our muscles consistently over time, and we add weight and repetitions until we find that we are stronger than we were before. Each day that we apply God's Word in faith by the power of the Spirit, we get stronger. Then, when we face a crisis, we are not lacking courage, but we have confidence that we can be victorious in the strength God has built up in us by our diligence to learn and grow in Him over time.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 26-29.