On rare occasions I’m blessed with personal emails thanking me for my weekly essays. It’s been 10 years since I started this writing endeavor.
There have been a few gaps in my production of this labor of love, but never for more than two or three weeks due to illness and the inability to cognitively collect my thoughts.
Sometimes we need to simply selfishly work on surviving to write another day!
Frankly, I’ve never thought much about the thousands upon thousands of words that have come out of my proverbial pen through the years.
On several occasions I’ve been complimented on the strength I’ve demonstrated in my writing and other business efforts while dealing with adversity.
Put simply “Some say I’m strong.” My response is always “My strength comes from my Lord.”
The Apostle Peter addresses this adversity we all face. Here’s his response in 1 Peter 5:9: “Resist him (the devil), standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
The Christian life is not an easy life. God’s enemy does not want our personal relationship to our Heavenly Father to develop into the intimate and intentional closeness that allows us to be used for God’s purpose of spreading the Good News of Christ’s birth, life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension.
Writing has always been a lonely profession. You never know the impact you might possibly have on your audience.
In fact, we might not even have a handle on who our audience for any written offering could possibly be.
As a follower of Christ, I consider this a distinct advantage. My main audience is my Lord, and He knows exactly where and how to get the words he has allowed me to pen in the hands of those He wants to read in his perfect timing.
I’ve always been encouraged by the Lord’s words to Joshua found in Joshua 1. One phrase especially strikes me that He exhorts to Joshua after the death of Moses again and again, “Be strong and courageous.”
Those words should give us the confidence to remain in the battle for the lost souls all around us. After all, He is our strength and our salvation. In our weakness and humility, He makes us strong.
There’s an important ingredient I must share with you that I believe is critical to my endurance these past 10 years.
God has placed faithful people around me to encourage me through the trials I’ve faced.
The Apostle Paul had men and women who supported him during all the trials he faced. His strength came from the Lord and from the prayer and effort of these faithful few.
So, in whatever God has prepared for you, remember you won’t be going into battle alone.
We can do very little in our own strength. Let the Lord be your strength and give Him all the glory!