God Is My Strength
By Amber Leggette-Aldrich
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber… The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” (Psalms 121:1-3, 7)
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)
We all have something to overcome; don’t think that you’re the only one. God will be our strength if we let Him. He is the source from which all true strength comes. And because He loves us, He wants to help us.
For many years I was full of stubborn pride. I refused to ask anyone for help no matter what. Somehow I had the idea that I could get by just fine on my own, that I didn’t need anyone to help me. In fact, I wouldn’t accept help when it was offered! I always thought I was strong enough to handle anything. But I was wrong.
I learned the hard way that I am not as strong as I thought I was. Life has a way of dealing some pretty hard blows, and there were several that I was totally unprepared to deal with. I tried, but I failed miserably. And I felt completely alone.
But God showed me that I wasn’t alone. He showed me that I could come to Him. At first it was hard for me to ask Him for help. I had a hard time trusting anyone, even God. But as I learned to trust Him and my faith grew, I soon realized that He wanted for me to ask for His help in whatever I faced. Don’t ever be too prideful to ask for His help. Asking for help when you need it is the wisest thing you can do.
God has always been faithful in His promise to be with me and to help me. It doesn’t mean that He will let me be lazy and have Him do all the work. But He guides me and gives me the strength to do it. And I’m not just talking about the physical kind of strength. Sometimes it’s the strength to overcome fear or anger or anxiety. Sometimes it’s the strength to just keep trying. Other times He gives me the strength to face trials or temptations. Whatever the need, God is always there for me and He gives me exactly what I need when I need it.
As I have grown older I have learned that the only real strength I have ever had has come from God. When I remember some of the trials that have come into my life, I know that there is no way I could have gone through them on my own. Without God’s help, I would still be in that dark pit of aloneness. But through His grace and loving kindness, I have been set free to walk in His ways. I have peace and joy in my heart, even in hard times, because I know He is with me. I know He will give me the strength to go through whatever comes. God is my strength!