Hey E4M friends and family! I know you are about to be incredibly blessed by Kellie’s post this week! She is proving that when we seek God with all that is in us, we truly do find Him! Read on and be inspired as Kellie shares her knowledge and beautifully leads each of us to a deeper understanding of just how to find the hope we need during our most difficult struggles! Be blessed friends, if you are in a place of hopelessness, Kellie is about to show you how you can soar to new heights in every area of your life!
“Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?’ Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings likes eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40: 27-31
I love verse 31 in Isaiah 40. I have quoted this verse to myself and others for many years about various struggles and trials, whether physical or spiritual. It is like a shot of vitamin B to the soul. It gives the energy and fortitude needed to continue on in the fight. Through a text conversation with Julie last week, she referenced this verse and I’ve meditated on it all week.
In bed well after midnight, tossing and turning all night long, then waking up before sunrise, I decided I might as well get up and do something productive. I grabbed my Bible and my IPad and headed for the living room. I went right to Isaiah 40:31. After reading it a few times, the Lord told me to read the entire chapter. The header for this chapter in my Bible is ‘Comfort for God’s people’. I thought, ‘Oh I need some of that.’ This week has been a struggle. Not physically or in my eating, but emotionally. To be honest, I’m mentally exhausted. I’m struggling with anxiety. I’d like to tell you this is a new thing, but it isn’t. It’s draining, both physically and emotionally. Typically, my anxiety will take me to a place of overeating. I would always eat to comfort myself until the anxiety went away. This time, I didn’t go to food. I went right to the Word! That is PROGRESS! Verse 27 immediately leapt out to me. I had indeed complained, lamented and wondered if God was ignoring my struggles. I’ve been dealing with this anxiety, asking God why is this happening yet again. I realized God was talking to me about my experiences over the past several weeks.
The key is HOPE. The Hebrew word in this reference is qavah and it means to bind together. Our strength comes when we bind to the Lord. It is in the twisting together with Him that our strength is renewed. It is in nearness and dependence on the Lord that we find what we need to keep going.
Whether your current struggle is with your weight loss journey or something completely unrelated, these verses are a great reminder of His sustaining power in our lives and that God is on our side. Our way is not hidden before Him and He is absolutely fighting for us! He never tires. He never wears out. He is always our advocate. He never sleeps. He doesn’t tire from our prayers. Whether we’ve prayed about something once or a thousand times, He is always listening. And He will answer.
If you find yourself complaining or thinking that God isn’t fighting for you, remember these verses. Bind yourself to Him and you will find that what you thought was your last step will just be one of many. You will soar to spiritual heights that you thought weren’t possible. You won’t get tired. You won’t wear out. He will sustain you IF and ONLY IF you choose to hope in Him. I’m choosing hope today. I hope you will too.
And, if the hope you need to find is in your weight loss journey, and you want to RESTART with us here at Equipped4More, today is the day!
Just click the link below and join us!!