“If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.” Proverbs 24:10
The writer of this great proverb recognizes the importance of strength when it comes to overcoming adversity. Adversity is woven into our system of life. Whether it is the adversity that we experience from within in the form of fear, the adversity we experience in surrounding circumstances, or the adversity we encounter from others – there is no getting away from the reality of adversity. It is the thorns and thistles of life. It is the resistance that we all experience in our movement toward what we are becoming. Once we get an idea in our mind of what Jesus wants to do with our life and we begin making movement toward that picture – we will encounter adversity. There will be things in our journey that will attempt to know us off track, that will attempt to keep us from moving forward trusting what God has promised and purposed for our lives. The key to overcoming adversity has to do with our inner strength. External strengths like education and experience will only take us so far. The consistent fight to overcome adversity comes from within. It comes in understanding who we are and who we are not. It comes in developing the right life perspective. It comes in having our minds renewed by the washing of the water of the Word of God. It comes in developing an ear to hear the voice of God and in following His lead. To faint in the day of adversity is to miss the importance of relationship and the part that relationship plays in our inner lives. Regardless of the adversity, we will find the strength that we need to overcome through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in us.
Do you find yourself in a place of great adversity? What you do and where you turn will say a lot about what you believe. As you strengthen the inner man through relationship with Christ you will overcome and rise above the adversities of life to realize and seize the promises of God!
“Therefore confess your sins to each oter and pray for each other so that you may be healed” James 5:16
The simple truth is that there are times I do not have the strength to even see myself honestly. I choose to listen to the voices of my culture and my sin nature when deciding how to live and interact with others. This of course leads me to a very difficult place often filled with Shame and Fear. Shame for the things I have done, said, and thought. Then Fear that I will be found out for who I really am. That I will be exposed as a fraud.
In order to do what I can, I choose to hide. To run into the trees as Adam and Eve did so that I can’t be seen and my sin exposed. I agree with Shame to live by its rules. To not be known, but to meerly exist under its power. In essence I cooperate, I choose bondage. There is still Fear, but he hang back as Shame runs the show.
I was told in the last year that I would need to fight hard in order to deal with adversity in my own life. I recently came to my senses and discovered that Shame and Fear can be defeated through confession. When I go to my friends and expose myself for who I am ,what I have done and said, Shame and Fear lose their power. They no longer control me. I am now known. My friends accept me, love me, and encourage me. My inner man is strengthened, and I am healed.
My encouragement is to confess, and be healed. Find someone in your life you trust to keep your confidence, and accept you. Not everyone is trustworthy, but the benefits are worth the risk. Defeat
Shame and Fear.