Devotional

Where Does Your Strength Come From?

Ready 

". . .the joy of the Lord is our strength."
-Nehemiah 8:10 

Set 

As athletes, we workout to better ourselves for competition. We hit the weights to gain strength, speed and size. But have you ever had one of those days in which your strength wasn't where you wanted it to be or you just didn't feel strong? If you compete long enough, you’re bound to have those days occasionally.

Have you ever had one of those days in life where you were feeling the same way spiritually? Like you just weren’t strong in your faith at all? In those times, we have to remember that it is not about us, it's about Jesus Christ. He is the One who gives us strength. It says in Psalm 33:16: "A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be delivered by great strength."

Knowing the Lord is the greatest strength we have. With His strength we can overcome anything. Problems at home or school; problems of heartache, physical pain and injury; situations in our families, with friends and people we know, etc. Important decisions and questions in our lives, on our teams and in our careers can easily be made by coming to God for His strength, wisdom and love. These are things that, no matter how hard you workout, how fast you run or how much you bench press, cannot be solved by your strength.

Look to the Lord in all things and do them in joy, no matter what the situation. He will bring you the strength, both spiritually and physically.

 

Go 
1. To whom do you look first when you need strength?
2. Do you face all situations with the joy of the Lord?
3. Do you remember the times the Lord's strength helped you overcome situations?

 

Workout 
Psalm 28:7-8
Psalm 118:14
Zephaniah 3:17