Even Mary and Martha had no idea that, that very day they would hear their brother’s voice again.
Vanessa
For a long time l have had no choice but to be strong and by no choice l mean, either I’m strong or I’m strong. Often times we are afraid of crying because it may look like we don’t have faith. We put on our best clothes, to “not look like our problems” which is a great thing by the way – I applaud you if you do that! Many times people grow up thinking they need to muster up more strength to press on. More strength. More strength. We encourage ourselves from within. More strength! We are told to dry our tears, tie our leather belts, pull up our shoe straps and move beyond the heartache of the moment. “You cannot afford to break down, you’re a man. Men don’t cry.” Or “Be a strong girl. Tears won’t help you with anything.” But John 11:35 tells us a different story …
“Then tears streamed down Jesus’ face.”
John 11:35 TPT
You may be reading this and you’re not facing any problems, read anyways. You may be reading this and are actually drowning with your hand lifted up to whoever cares enough to pull you out. I am reminded of the disciples in the boat. They were terrified . Justifiably so. If you were in the boat and you could hear the sound of mighty waves, you feel the coldness of the water on your feet, everyone’s shouting out in fear and there is Jesus … sleeping. How would you feel? They felt like He doesn’t care at all.
“So they shook him awake, saying, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to die!”
Mark 4:39a TPT
Wait up … I got a little package for you …
When we get too used to self sufficiency and survival mode based on our own strength we can barely hear God gently telling us to unflinch our jaws, let the tears flow and not move a muscle. How many times has He said Be Still and we quote the scripture, post it, while not being still. We’re actually at our busiest trying to fix things while we keep saying , “Be still.”
So what are we doing today? We are choosing to lean on God. We are reflecting on the results of our own work and the proven credible results of God’s work. You know what? I’m actually choosing to be still. Keep praying? Yes. Stress while praying? No. Hand it over . I love how Apostle Paul puts it;
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:8-10(ESV)
He says l begged for a change of story, three times. Have you been begging for God to change something and you wake up and the situation is the same. By the end of the day you probably feel exhausted from all the anxiety you felt all day. Have you been crying and pleading with God to take away the pain? Then you got up and chose your own strength which doesn’t even get you to the end of the day? If Paul tried to figure things out himself and leaned on his own ability, he would have forfeited the opportunity to experience the power of God. I’m gonna ask you a couple of questions, answer truthfully:
- How are you? Think before you answer
- Do you feel like crying? Go ahead. Drop those shoulders and just let it out.
- Does it feel too heavy? Pretend you’re lifting something off your shoulders, focus, now lift it up and then place it down and say ,”Lord , it belongs to you now.”
Today, there’s one thing you don’t have to do – You don’t have to be strong. “But I have no choice, I need a door to open urgently. Fees, bills, medical expenses. I can’t not do something, you don’t understand, I have a lot on my plate.” If you had a chance to choose another “plate” would you take it? Here’s the chance then. Choose the plate that says ,”Father, you can be trusted.
Don’t overthink. Don’t panic.
And one more thing …
