Strength to Strength

Years ago I had a very close friend who had cancer.  Three times her cancer went into remission.  There were times when Sheryl had just enough strength to wake up and open her eyes and there were times when she had enough strength to actually get out of bed and perform daily activities.  At this time, years ago, I came across Psalm 84:7, “They go from strength to strength, till each appears before the God in Zion.”  This verse so identified Sheryl and her daily struggle for energy and strength. 

God says He is our strength.  When we are aware of our weakness – which is a very uncomfortable place to be – God wants us to turn to Him for His strength.  Sometimes He gives us an abundant amount of strength and sometimes He gives us only enough strength just for that moment.  The abundant provision is definitely more dramatic and more satisfying but the strength for only the moment keeps us close and coming back for more.

After Byron, my son, passed away a year ago I would go out for walks.  There were times I had to literally find some place to sit down or lean against a tree because I could not breathe.  I felt as if I had been shot through the heart, the pain was so intense.  There were times I wasn’t sure I would even be able to physically walk back home because I was having so much trouble breathing.  Then there were days I could make the entire walk without stopping one time. 

Either way, God desires for our own good, that we be radically dependent on Him.  This flies in the face of all the self sufficient messages we hear every single day.  Another struggle of “being in the world and not of the world”.  Choose today to live in His strength, whatever amount He chooses to give, in whatever way He chooses to give.