The Secret to Staying Strong in Hard Times

I think you know the feeling:

You wake up in the morning as the fragments of  your last dream fades away.  So nice. So warm. So peaceful.  But no sooner than the vision fades that you remember some great stress that awaits your day ahead.  It could be an uncomfortable meeting on your schedule, a responsibility that you are struggling to meet, a sick child, or an family visit with a relative that has been a strain on that very last nerve.

What do you want to do?  Right. Pull the covers high over your head and promise to, as Scarlett said, “Think about this tomorrow.”

I know that feeling.  Just this morning, in fact, I was awakened from a blissful sleep to an avalanche of situations I did not want to face.  Bills waiting to be paid from limited funds.  Travel plans that were unraveling at an alarming pace. Family friction that I so wanted to stay away from, but somehow seemed to be knocking on my door.  Oh, I could go on but you get the picture.

We all have mornings like that, when we just want to stay in bed and hope our problems go away.  Just one more hour, one more day and maybe those little worries will fade like the dream we just had.

So what do we do?  What is the secret to getting out of bed, putting on our best armor and going out to the battles of our day victoriously?

Here is the secret:  Roll right off of your bed and onto your knees. Don’t even let your feet hit the floor!  Admit to God that you need His help to get through the day.

God, I am feeling so overwhelmed, so low this morning.  I need you to pick me up, dust me off, and point me in the directions I need to go. Not only that, but you’ll need to go with me with every step I take.  I need you, God. This battle is Yours.

Right then, you have given your battle – in fact all of the day’s battles – to the Lord.  Right then, you have victory to make it through the day.  It only takes one prayer.

That is the secret to staying strong, even when the day ahead is a monster.  Give it to God.  He will carry you through.  And you can get back to the joy and peace that is yours through Christ.

Don’t take my word for it. Try it out yourself and let me know what happens  in your day!

Blessings!

Kelly