He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.”
Isaiah 40:29
Have you ever felt weary? How about weak?
I find it fascinating that this verse says that the Lord will “increase the power of the weak.” I don’t know about you, but in the midst of my weakness, I don’t feel very powerful. At least, not at first.
However, as I look to God in that weakened state, His power comes flooding in. It’s then I realize He’s got me, and my circumstances didn’t come as a surprise to Him.
After my husband and I moved to a new state with our three children, and started settling into our new home without a single familiar face within 1,200 miles of us, there was a weakness that began to settle into my heart and mind. I felt alone. I had doubts about whether we had made the right decision, and wondered what we would do if we hadn’t.
But God’s power and strength would be gloriously on display in many forms. One of which was in my journal, full of the promises and confirmations from the Lord, directing us to this new place.
As time went on, the Lord placed many people in our lives who would only solidify those confirmations. One of those people came with horses which gave life to another vision that God had given me years prior…a therapeutic horse ministry! As we continued to make plans, pray, and dream about our future with the horses together, a wildfire threatened our home. We were evacuated and ended up at this woman’s house sooner than we anticipated.
It seemed like God was confirming what we already felt He was leading us to- living on her property with the horses, for the sake of a future ministry there.
As the next year progressed, our plans to make this property our’s did as well. At least, it did in our hearts and prayers. However, multiple unforeseen circumstances, choices, and shut doors began to point to the contrary. This woman, who had become more like family than a friend, had reluctantly and prayerfully, finally come to the hard decision to sell her home and property, while we still found ourselves unable to be the ones to buy it.
The year long time of trusting and waiting on the Lord started to feel like it was for nothing.
We had remained faithful in prayer and deeply believed that God would provide a miracle for us to buy it, with the sole purpose of running a horse ministry for hurting women and children. But that wasn’t what was happening.
It’s in moments like these that weariness threatens to move into your heart and unpack its bags for a long term stay.
However, in the beginning, middle, and end of a journey with an unknown outcome, if you choose to abide in Him, cling to His hand with both of yours, and never let your eyes fall away from His, Hope remains. Your weakness becomes His strength. Your weariness becomes His peace.
And you can continue on that journey, knowing that as long as you’re walking with the One who can see the finish line, you don’t need to.
TO BE CONTINUED…
~Heather Johnson
REFLECTION:
Read: Psalm 31:14; Psalm 33:21; Psalm 56:3; Psalm 56:11; Psalm 115:11. Proverbs 3:5-6. Pick at least two of these verses to write down and memorize.
Have you walked through times of unknown outcomes? Are you in the middle of one now? How has God been your source of absolute trust? How can He be? Do you trust Him to get you through anything? If so, thank Him for His trustworthiness. Journal a time that you knew He was helping you through a rough time, even if you didn’t see it in the moment. If not, ask Him why. Repent, and ask Him to heal that area of your heart that has been unwilling to trust Him. Praise Him for being trustworthy and faithful, even when you were not.
PRAYER:
“Jesus, I thank You that You hold tomorrow, and You hold me. I thank You that I don’t need to be strong, because Your strength is found in my willingness to admit that I am weak, and I need You. Your plans are trustworthy, faithful, and good. And I belong to You. Thank You for never letting me go. Amen.”
MEET THE WRITER: HEATHER JOHNSON
Hi there! I am a wife to a wonderful husband, a mother to three beautiful children, and an imperfect child of a perfect God. I’m a homeschooling mom and a self employed small business owner alongside my husband. I am also part of a healing and deliverance ministry called Bethel SOZO, and am deeply passionate about seeing others receive the same healing from Jesus that I have. In my spare time, (whatever that is) I can be found worshiping the Lord in my living room, reading a good book, or writing my heart out for my future blog or book.
Recent Comments