The Lord is Your Strength

“Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look – the Judge is standing at the door! For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.” James 5:9-11 NLT

There is an end to the trial you are facing—2 Corinthians 4:17. Believe it! Now is the time to take your eyes off of your suffering, your trial, your hardship and look to Jesus. Focus on Jesus! Lay aside this weight of “self-focus” that is hindering you from moving forward, and run this race God has set before you—Hebrews 12:1-2.

Be patient with people and the injustice you are facing— James 5:7. Do not complain or get irritated with one another as James says in James 5:9. When we focus on people and the very frustrating situation, it robs us of time, our psychological strength and emotion and actually makes us more frustrated. This is actually very difficult to live out. There is something about the human mind that believes if we focus on the frustrating event, it will deal with it. But that actually only causes more frustration. Life is difficult because God gave everyone a freewill, and some use it to target others. However, Paul exhorts us in Galatians 5:13, “Brothers and sisters, you have been called to freedom, not freedom to satisfy your sinful desires, but freedom to love each other purely.” Therefore, when it comes to interpersonal situations that are trying your patience and emotions, and might even be keeping you from living your life, it’s best to ask Jesus Christ how He wants you to handle the situation, so that it is dealt with and there is an end. You need to be able to move forward in your life without this weight that is holding you back.

Let God work in this and through this. So obey Him. He will carry you. He is with you. He won’t abandon you—2 Corinthians 4:9. Do exactly what Jesus tells you to do. Because He is for you, He has the answer for you that is specific for what is right before you. Jesus always overcomes Satan’s agenda and Satan is behind every sinful act. Do not give up and quit—2 Corinthians 4:8. Keep moving forward. “Continue to preach”—2 Corinthians 4:13; continue doing what you do for the Lord. Do not hold back, but with even more zeal – be for the Lord in everything you do –Jeremiah 20:9! Continue showing God’s grace, mercy, and love to others. Continue mirroring Jesus!

Your faith is more precious to God than gold—1 Peter 1:7. He is purifying you by fire, but know this, it’s only because He has great plans for you—Jeremiah 29:11. Deal with any of your own sin issues that surface, so that you remain right before God. You are God’s masterpiece created anew in Christ Jesus— Ephesians 2:10. This trial is simply equipping you to do God’s will and to live out your purpose in this life— Hebrews 13:20.

So, stay the course! The way out of your despair and discouragement is patience, prayer, and obedience – NOT pride. Wait on the Lord—Psalm 40:1-5. He will guide you and move through you! Your heroic endurance comes as you look beyond what’s happening presently in your life, staying focused on Jesus.

Truly, joy in the Lord – our complete satisfaction in Him alone – is our strength as Nehemiah 8:10 states.

This strength—this heroic endurance—comes from seeking God, listening to God, and responding to Him with love – as the psalmist states in Psalm 18:1, “I love You Lord, You are my strength.” And then in Psalm 116:1-2 NLT “I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” Strength comes when we believe the promises of God.

You determine the quality of your life. Remember, God gave you a freewill to decide your days, don’t allow your days and the circumstances within them or others to decide for you. Doubt God, and you will be emotionally unstable. Trust God is faithful, and renew your mind with His word – and He will give you a psychological strength amidst adversity, you will have resilience, and His peace will guard your heart and mind as you live in Christ Jesus —Philippians 4:7!

Arm yourselves, Christian, with the same attitude as Christ—1 Peter 4:1! Being a soldier for Christ is not easy— 2 Timothy 2:3. Fighting for souls, fighting for the Lord, fighting to persuade the unpersuadable, is not easy! But the Lord is your strength! Press forward—Philippians 3. Obey Him. Give it all you’ve got! This mountain will be moved— Matthew 17:20, the door will be opened—Revelation 3:8.

It's not self- efficacy – its God dependency! Fully reliant upon the Lord to do what He promised He would do.

Remember, your security lies in God’s never changing presence in your life—Hebrews 13:8. And no person or circumstance can take that security from you. Remember Job—James 5:11. God will restore the years the locusts have eaten— Joel 2:25. Pray for your friends, enemies and those around you, asking God to bless them in the ways they need – and let’s be honest, for some the greatest blessing is if God opens their eyes to their sin and they repent, so that their soul is right with Jesus and those around them are not mistreated anymore, but loved.