The Look of Strength
Tuesday, April 20
The Look of Strength
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
What does a strong person look like?
When I say “strong person,” my imagination creates a picture of someone standing tall and confident. I see this person standing tall over a horizon, hands in the pocket, chin pointed toward the sky ready to conquer the world. Dare I go on to say this person does not have a care in the world because they are ‘strong’? Mountains shrink in this ‘strong presence’, can’t nothing slow you down, and nothing can stop you. This is a strong and courageous person. Or is it?
When we think of strength, we each—in our own way—being to put together images like these. We imagine a person with enough willpower to do anything they believe in. We imagine a hero. The problem with this image is that it does not reflect true strength.
When we consider only the tall and strong it makes the small and weak feel insignificant. One can begin to think ‘I can never measure up to the strength and dignity of a hero’. I will never be that big. I will never be that important. I will never make big changes in the world. I am the person who might make little ripples and not big waves. But, I know of a God who can make big waves out of little ripples, if only I believe. This is what being strong and courageous means. Understanding that our strength is not found in anything that we are but, it’s found in God.
A strong person is one who is able to let go of himself, turn it over to God, and let Him be the guide. A strong person is only strong because he has humbled himself before God, and admits that he cannot do this on their own. A strong person lets go and allows God to reign.
Today feel strong and courageous not on your own, but because you’ve chosen to trust in God.
Prayer for today: Dear Lord, I realize that I am nothing without You. I trust You to break through in Your way and in Your timing. Take the self-sufficiency in my heart as I choose to trust in You. Help me not to make my own plans and then ask you to bless them. Teach me to listen to You and then do Your will wholeheartedly. Show me Your plan for this day and help me to live it out joyfully. Amen