Weekly Devotion ~ Week of September 17, 2018 ~ God alone, is our strength!
The Strength of The Almighty
What do we do when we get to a place in life in which we feel like giving up, that we are unqualified, or that we are incapable of moving forward due to grief or abuse?
This is something I believe we all struggle with at some point or another. Life can get hard at times and sometimes, bad things happen to good people. However, we have a God that works for our good. I can personally tell you many times in my life that, when I look back, know if it were not for God, I would not have made it through. Not only did He bring me through, but he made those parts of my past bring Him glory.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28
To be included in God's plan is a great honor. Not only does He consider you the apple of His eye, but He wants to bless you, answer your prayers and provide to you your heart's desires. He wants to be The One you turn to. He wants to provide you with strength when you feel as though you can't go on. The Bible is filled with many verses that helps to remind us to remain steadfast and faithful in our walk, and there are just as many reminding us that God, alone, is our strength.

Monday
When we become to feel incapable of continuing our race, my husband and I almost always look to this scripture. This verse has helped get me through some of the most desperate times of my life as a single mother. Those moments in which I did not know how I was going to pay my light bill, put food on the table or even afford gas to get to work or school. My reliance on God and His strength was the only thing that got me through. Even now, it is a constant reminder that no matter what happens, He is with us, providing us exactly what we need for what He has called us to do!

Tuesday
Did you know that with God you can literally accomplish ANYTHING?! During our family Bible studies the past couple of weeks, we have been going over the story of Samson in the Bible. Since it is a family Bible Study, we read the Children's illustrated version from my son's Bible, then read from of our family Bible. Something my son recently discovered was the fact that Samson, with God's favor, was able to use the jaw bone of a donkey to take down 1000 men! He was in incredible aw of this feat when He read about it. And as a family, we were able to teach him that God is capable of helping us achieve ANYTHING!

Wednesday
Let's face it, we are human and, simply put, we fall short. We are not meant to live this life without God. Many try. Some spend their whole life trying, only to regret all the time they wasted chasing after this world. Remember, sweet friend, we are not perfect, but we do serve a perfect God! God's grace and mercy can rest upon us if we repent and truly want Him to help us gain better control over whatever thorn is in our flesh. Then, He will fill us with His strength in order to help us overcome any and every obstacle we face!

Thursday
Have you ever been hurt by someone? Have you ever wanted to exact revenge or retaliate in some way other than doing what is commanded and turning the other cheek? I don't know about you, but this is something I have struggled with before. Luckily, I have never acted upon anything, but I cannot say that I did not think about it. I'm certainly not proud of it, and this verse is one I turn to when I feel vulnerable, scared or hurt. It has brought me great comfort in knowing that my Father upholds me and I hope it serves as a loving reminder to you today as well.

Friday
Rest easy tonight knowing that no matter what may come your way in this life, God is ALWAYS with you. He goes before you and will never leave you.
We all have moments where we feel like our relationship has become stale or that we can't hear God, but let's be honest, if we are feeling like that, it means we are not fasting, praying and diligently seeking God. This is something we had to come to terms with when we re-dedicated our lives to Christ. God will never leave you nor forsake you. He has been running after you from the moment you took your first breath!