Strong Enough????

   I don't normally do what I am about to do, but this morning I felt compelled to. Lot of times I use quotes or one liners from favorite authors or spiritual hero's of mine but this morning I want to share a devotion with you that touched me. I have quoted from it before but this morning  I felt it could really stand on its on. It is from "The Word For You Today"Devotional. I found this devotional several years ago and from time to time I turn to it as a supplement to my quiet time. Before reading this devotion this morning I could've find half a dozen reasons to be depressed, but for what good. My wife and I found ourselves having this conversation this morning and we came to the realization that our hand full of small problems are greatly outweighed by all the blessings God has sent our way and are no comparison to those who are really struggling, and it inspired me to share this with you.
   Fact is, there are a great number of you out there that have lost loved ones to cancer, or are struggling with cancer, or taking care of a spouse that is. For some maybe your watching your once strong and vibrant parent or parents struggle with cancer or some other dreadful ailment that is taking the life out of them. There are a great number of people who have suffered the loss of a child, or are loosing them now. There are people standing on the roadside cold, hungry and hopeless while I'm driving in my warm car, on my way to work, wondering whats for lunch, while sipping on my coffee, and taking my children to an amazing private school. Maybe you've lost your job, and your finances seem out of control and your fighting to keep your home, or maybe your marriage is falling apart. Maybe your relationship with your children or parents are real bad right now, or maybe your feeling depressed and alone. Or maybe your struggling with something else I didn't mention. You may be like me and want to be "Mr. Fix-it" and you've always been able to handle pretty much anything that's been thrown your way.  The truth is even overachievers get tired and exhausted mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This morning God reminded me why and He inspired me to share a portion of it with you.

“We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God.”

2Co1:9 NLT

  “Some of your most life-enriching experiences will come during your worst moments—when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you’re out of options, when your pain levels go through the roof—and you turn to God. That’s when you learn to pray heartfelt, honest-to-God prayers. When you’re in pain you don’t have the energy for superficial ones. And that’s when you discover, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted” (Ps 34:18 NLT). God could have kept Joseph out of prison, Daniel out of the lions’ den, Jeremiah out of the slimy pit, and Paul from being shipwrecked, but He didn’t. As a result, each one of them was drawn closer to God and impacted the world around them. Your problems force you to look to God and depend on Him instead of yourself. This is especially hard on superachievers like Paul. “We…saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us” (2Co 1:9 TLB). You’ll never know what God can do until God is all you’ve got. So place your needs into His capable, loving hands, and watch what happens.”

    
   I don't care who you are but broken, abandoned, and out of options is the last place you want to find yourself. I believe it was Beth Moore who said it best, "When the world is looking at us they aren't necessarily looking for us to have it together, their looking to see how we act when we don't." Maybe you have something or some things you need to put in His hands today? I don't know if you know it or not but Matthew West has a song out entitled "Strong Enough" and I find myself listening to it from time to time, well maybe a lot sometimes,(lol). If you've not heard it I highly recommend you go find and purchase it...its a iPod must have. But here are a few of the lyrics...

 

 "You must think I'm strong

 To give me what I'm going through
Well, forgive me

Forgive me if I'm wrong

 But this looks like more than I can do

On my own
I know I'm not strong enough to be everything that I'm supposed to be

 I give up

I'm not strong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

 Strong enough For the both of us
Well, maybe

Maybe that's the point

To reach the point of giving up
Cause when I'm finally

Finally at rock bottom

Well, that's when I start looking up And reaching out"

  

Hope this helps you, who ever you are this morning! God bless you all!