Give me Strength!! - 6th December 2007

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

This is a verse I cling to daily and is a constant comfort to me. When I wake in the morning and cannot face another day, this is the promise I hold before me. When I feel the panic rise as I enter an unknown situation I remember this. And as I sat in front of a plate of unknown food in a remote African village, fearful of the consequences of eating it, this was the verse I repeated over and over to myself!! (The food was actually fabulous- a real feast and there was nothing to fear!)

When we are faced with challenges that we do not feel we can cope with in our own strength, remember that we can do all things through him who strengthens us. I tried it and it works! I know that there is no way I could have coped with the trip without the strength that Christ gives, and yet with this promise in my heart and with God at my side I have learned I truly can do anything through him who gives me strength to cope.

It is very easy to try and keep going under our own strength only to find ourselves drowning. We fall ill, become depressed or anxious and are fearful of facing new challenges. At my lowest point in Mozambique, when I sent a panic text to home the reply I received lifted me straight up again:

“God has taken you out of your depth. Keep going and use God as a float.”

What a great picture! So as I faced new challenges, or could feel myself getting anxious I pictured myself in the water, with the troubles and worries around me, but me happily bobbing along on God’s back, using him as a float to get me through and giving me the strength to keep going.

Lord – in the times when I feel like I am drowning, or am faced with situations in which I struggle help me to keep on going and to use you as my float. Give me the strength I need to guide me through and help me to trust in you daily. Amen.