Thursday, May 22, 2014

Strength.

"Then they sweep pat like the wind and go on--
guilty men, whose own strength is their god."
--Habakkuk 1:11

People are interesting creatures.  We are fun to watch.  Our actions almost always contradict our words.  We are deceitful and needy, broken and fragile.  Yet, most of us act like we are as strong as Stone Cold Austin.

I look at several people in my life and think, man they are so solid, so strong, so unwavering in their confidence.  

Then I see them hit a hard time.  The confidence is shattered.  Their pride melts away and I begin to see them as a desperate human being just like me.  

I have a select few people I watch consistently because their steadiness astounds me.  They are level-headed and unwavering.  At times I think they have it all together, but without doubt, there always comes a time when they conquer something that shatters their stance.

It is a humbling thing to see this.  You have to watch and learn.  How does this person handle their desperation?  Do they look to a higher power?  Do they reach inside themselves?  Is it a substance they turn too, or a friend?  Some ease the pain with material things.  They satisfy themselves and keep right on marching like nothing happened.  The pain and the honesty are stuffed away in a nice new bag.

Some people need to be surrounded by friends when they go through something awful.  They need constant human contact and support to assure themselves they will make it out okay.

I tend to be the opposite.  When something emotionally challenging presents itself to my life, I immediately want to get by myself and process, journal and pray.  In fact, supportive people tend to almost irritate me in times like that.  I don't want hugs, sympathy or conversation--not yet.  I want me and God to meet in the woods somewhere.

Non-Christians are interesting and yet scary to watch.  Where do they draw their strength in times of trouble?  I've seen many of them turn to God.  It is a natural human thing to do--regardless of your beliefs or religious upbringing.

Other times they look around and find they have nothing to satisfy them.  This causes panic and anxiety.  They look for the strength they once wore as a cloak, and they find that it's vanished--no where to be found.

Wether you are a believer or not, I feel strongly that we all need something to believe in that is higher than ourselves.

Some people believe in civic groups, others believe in charity and good will.  I've seen people put their whole faith in teams or other collaborative efforts.  Believing in something bigger than yourself gives you hope.  It reminds you that even on your darkest day, there is still some good things moving in the world.

It's how we are designed.  We were designed to recognize God as our higher power, our hope and definition of love.  He is omnipresent and all encompassing.  He has no faults and he never lets us down.  This is exactly why we should put our hope in him.

He never promises us easy living and happiness for eternity, but he is a darn good comforter in times when your strength seems to be vacant.

We all make the mistake of putting our trust in our own strength at times.  It is possible to live like this for a period of time, but what happens when the facade is broken?  Where do you turn?

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