“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22,23

How To Be Strong

My heart has been touched by all the messages I have been receiving lately from both friends and strangers who are struggling with the impact of the times in which we are all living. Many are anxious. Some are fearful. Almost all of them feel overwhelmed with situations they are facing.  thers say things are out of control.

I understand. It’s not unusual to be having these kinds of reactions. It sometimes feels a bit surreal.

I’ve been asked how to respond to all this. I have to say that I’m learning along with everyone else! But there are things I’ve been learning in recent years that help me in this current time. The most powerful tool l’ve found to respond to all these challenges is worship and praise. Praise is the way to strength! When our hearts are filled with gratitude, we find that we have more to be grateful for—it opens our eyes.

When I’m anxious – I worship!
When I’m fearful – I worship!
When I feel overwhelmed – I worship!
When I’m sick – I worship!
When I have more questions than answers – I worship!
When I’m tired and weary – I worship!
When I feel like things are out of control – I worship!
When I feel weak – I worship!

I start by acknowledging who God is to me. He’s my Rock, my Refuge, my Sustainer, my Comforter, my Counselor, my Husband, my source of Wisdom, my Provider, my Healer, my daily Grace…I speak out everything I can think of that God is to me. I thank Him for being those things to me.

Then I speak out promises from the Word—especially the ones that apply to what I’m struggling with at the moment. I was reminded today of Isaiah 26:3,4: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal.”

I acknowledge what is heavy on my heart at the moment. I “cast the burden” of that on the Lord. I give it to Him because it’s too much for me to carry. Sometimes I can almost physically feel the Lord lifting the heaviness from my heart, mind and spirit. I heard a pastor say that offering up praise to the Lord is like “road building equipment…it clears obstacles.” Confusion, pain, and loss is lifted from our hearts as we offer up our worship.

And I open my heart to receive from Him what I need. I let the Spirit wash over me and impart to me His strength and help. When I change the way I look at things by offering them up as worship, the things I’ve been looking at, focusing on, then change as well.

When we offer up worship and gratitude, it actually impacts us physically—it strengthens us, supports our immune system, enables us to cope. Gratitude is a strong, powerful, empowering emotion! Worry and stress just make us weak. When we offer up praise, worship, gratitude—it blesses God. Then He turns around and uses it to help and bless us.

Father, You are near. We worship You!