It's no great mystery that this "journey of life" is often filled with difficult situations, doubts, and trials that can challenge our faith, determination, and yearning.
Clearly, we are currently experiencing such troubling and confusing times. And there is seemingly no relief from hearing, observing, and talking about it, which only makes matters worse.
All through the Bible, believers are inspired to find resilience in God, who is characterized as a trustworthy tower of shelter and strength; and a source of guidance, direction, and wisdom for daily life.
This is the right moment to look at the biblical basis for finding strength in God, as we attempt to learn from different texts and topics that draw attention to His place as a sustainer and guardian.
Psalm 46:1 is an excellent beginning. It calls to mind the ever-present, unyielding strength of God. Here, He is portrayed as the last word on strength in troubling times. We are inspired to find inner peace in a chaotic world through His power and sovereignty (cf. Isaiah 40:29-31).
In Proverbs 3:5-6 we discover that faith and trust in God are key to obtaining His strength. The significance of trusting in God's wisdom and guidance, rather than our own limited understanding of making our way through life's challenges, is stressed in this passage.
Prayer also plays a major role by which we can find inspiration in God. As Philippians 4:6-7 accentuates, we can encounter God's peace and strength through prayer which fortifies us against worry and apprehension.
Occasionally we run across statements that seem illogical or contradictory. Such is the case with "finding strength in weakness" in 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 and Paul. Here it implies that God's strength is perfectly manifested in times of our weakness.
He loves taking charge of adverse situations where our own human strength has failed and in turn, gracefully provides us with forceful and effective strength vastly superior than anything we could ever summon on our own.
Naturally we cannot complete this discussion without mentioning the example Jesus Christ presents as the ideal example of drawing fortitude and courage in God. This was demonstrated all through His earthly ministry.
He proved his trust and faith in the Father especially during hardships and difficulties. I refer you to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane with his imminent crucifixion hanging overhead (Matthew 26:39).
Jesus's obedient compliance to His Father's will profoundly illustrates the strength that can be acquired by trusting and obeying God unconditionally, even during unbearable trials.
That God is a reliable source of strength for those who seek Him is consistently affirmed throughout the biblical account.
Through faith, prayer, community, and the example of Christ, believers are well-prepared to face life's journey with confidence and resilience, drawing on the inexhaustible strength that God provides (Psalm 18:32).
Scripture: Joshua 1:9; 1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 73:26; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 4:13;
Prayer: "God, I pray that you will provide me with the strength I need to overcome whatever challenges I may encounter in life, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual; and the comfort in knowing that You are with me always. Amen."
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