Unexpected Strength
Today is International Diabetes Day. I’ve had Type 1 diabetes for 11 ½ years. I have good days and I have tough days. Like all diseases, diabetes is exhausting. I have yet to think of one aspect of my life that diabetes doesn’t impact. I share this, not to invoke pity, but to point a light to the fact that everyone has something going on that isn’t talked about every day. All of us - adults and children - carry more with us than others can see. Remember to begin each encounter with graciousness and then look for the unexpected strength.
In reflection of this day, I’d like to share with you another excerpt from “Called to the Classroom: Daily Reflections for Educators.” (Day #64: I Am Strengthened)
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
How often do we read verses about strength and wish we felt it in our own lives? These verses are empowering and designed to uplift us during even the most devastating times. However, there may be days when we meditate on these Scriptures and vulnerably whisper to God: But when will I feel it? When will I feel strengthened?
I wonder if we always feel it when we are strengthened. In other words, do we have to feel strong to be strong? In my own life, I have consistently wrestled with this question. When I was 16 years old, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I had no idea the amount of strength this disease would require of me. Diabetes currently has no cure and requires constant monitoring in order to be healthy and thriving. After years of living with diabetes, I have discovered sometimes strength shows up when I least expect it. Reflecting on the past decade, I can now identify that I am more capable than I ever thought possible. However, in the moments when I was physically fighting to make it to another day, nothing in me felt strong.
We may not recognize how much strength we possess until we move forward and look back on these seasons in our lives. I believe this unexplainable perseverance is God's work in us. He upholds us when we feel weak and defeated. Rooted in God’s faithfulness and love, we take our next steps in trust, confident that as time passes, we will see His strength evidenced in our lives.
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You:
You are strong.
May you embrace this truth regardless of whether or not this feels true.
May you have a deep confidence that simply by being here today, you are strong.
May the truth of God’s continued power and presence in your life encourage your heart.
May you reflect on moments when you displayed more strength than you ever thought possible.
May you courageously believe God will never fail to uphold you with His righteous right hand.
Day #14: Think of someone who supports you and cheers you on.
