There are so many cliché sayings that I could use here, but none of them are more effective than a personal story. I want to encourage you in this post to find strength, God’s strength, in the midst of your struggle. I do not say this having gone through life floating on fluffy clouds without a care. I am saying this to you from my son’s hospital room, in the dark as he sleeps. Double digit surgeries in under 20 years of life. But God!!

But God who is rich in grace and mercy! (Ephesians 2:4-8)

But God who strengthens me and upholds me! (Isaiah 41:10)

But God, who is my rock and my deliverer! (Psalms 18:2) 

But God who is perfecting everything that concerns me! (Psalms 138:8)

I think you get the point here. There are challenges in life that we need strength to get through. There are circumstances that we never wanted to come up against. But let’s be real and honest about this. There are people that are depending on you for strength, comfort and even direction. You are their leader, but who is your leader? Where does your strength come from. There are times that this needs to be a supernatural strength. A calm and peace that is beyond what you are feeling. And that is exactly when we must turn to our King and High Priest, God, our Almighty Father.

We see Job in Chapter 13 and verse 15, said “though he slay me, I will trust him.” We see in Genesis 32 that Jacob that told the angel that he would not let go until He blessed him. How determined are we to embrace God during our biggest struggles. The reality is that more times than not, we run from the one that has the answers. We run from God, who is the answer to the struggles that we encounter. We can learn so much through these struggles. God can turn them around for His glory and we get the blessing in the process. I want to challenge you to wrestle with your challenges instead of running from them. When training in Kenpo, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu or any other martial art, you do not gain strength or technique by watching. Your strength comes through the struggle of working it out on the mat. Practicing again and again..

I challenge you to leave it all on the proverbial mat. How do you do that? It comes with time in prayer and fellowship with the Creator of the Universe, the one who conquered death, hell and the grave. Develop that relationship in prayer and in His word, The Bible. It is time for us to step up our game and begin to develop strength in the struggle and not run from it. Stand and defeat the fear and the doubt. Risk failure and see that God will meet you where you are at and walk you straight into victory!

I hope this has encouraged you to press on and be the Christ-like leader that you were created to be.

Be strong and Courageous!

David