Week 16-Finding New Strength

As author Brad Wilcox put it, "there are so many ups and downs every day, when am I ever just gonna have a GOOD day?"

I'm not a negative person but sometimes I can relate to this. But what I learned from his next comment is what I strive to embrace.

He said that when you have a heart monitor on, it's the up and down lines that are good...that let you know you're alive and not just vegging. It's the uneventful straight lines that are bad.

That really put it into perspective for me. If I want everything to just go perfect every day, if I want to not struggle or have to work harder to find my faith to get through things, if I don't have one unpleasant or painful thought enter my mind, if I don't allow my trials to get to me...then what am I learning from my time here?  How am I growing? How am I becoming a better person? I'm not.

But deciding how you're going to address all those drops and peaks in your days are going to determine not only how you get through them and the person they will mold you into...but more importantly the strength you're going find and gain that will help you when you face adversity in the future.

I let some things bother me today. After several hours of going back and forth between steaming over it and hurting over it, I decided it had to end. A quote popped into my head that a friend had shared with me just yesterday,

"Sometimes, just when we think we are strong, we realize there are other kinds of strength we know little about, other ways of living that give people skills for meeting challenges we would fold beneath."

So I decided to stop right there in my kitchen, kneel in prayer and ask for that strength. The answer I got was to stop doing my dishes (because all I do is sit there and stew!!) pick up the Ensign and that there would be an answer somewhere.

Sure enough, I had an "ask and ye shall receive" moment. There was an article that removed me from my selfish and unhumble spot to realize how small my issue really was. The Savior DIED for me.  He loved me so much that He willingly took upon Himself my suffering and more. My heart was truly softened as I remembered that no suffering I ever go through will amount to what He went through. And I owe it to Him to acknowledge that. His suffering was so great, so honorable. Mine is temporary ...and petty.

I am so grateful that I can lean on His arms when I need to find new strength. Even if it is for the small things. This scripture in John 14 is what I needed today...and what I FELT from Him today.

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you....Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you...Let not your heart be troubled."

He will rescue us from all of life's unfair things.