But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. -2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. -Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

You won’t know what real, supernatural strength is like till you’ve given all you’ve got in your own strength, only to get crushed into dust and pieces. There is not one of us who, in our own strength, can conquer any and all challenges.

I’ve been a pro at being stoic and passive aggressive when it came to handling way too much in my own strength. Usually, about once a year, I’d fall very ill, my body just caving under all the stress, forcing me to stop and recuperate. One reason for this I can remember was the comparison my father would draw of me and my siblings against his friends’ kids: He would boast about the other kids’ physiques or what sports they were playing…and how we were just weaklings.

Good times, good times.

So, though I could never match the physical strength of others in musculature, I strained to show I had strength in other ways. Sometimes I’d get a little haughty and confident in how well I could accomplish things. But, eventually, the mountain of things I tried to carry would crush me.

I can see how Paul had to learn the hard way: In his letter to the Christians in Corinth, he tells them about how he thought he was handling everything just fine, even thinking he was rightly persecuting Christians in God’s name–till Jesus blinded him on the road to Damascus. Paul pleaded three times for it to be taken from him. But by blinding Paul, and eventually restoring his sight, God gave Paul vision and strength he never had before.

Paul goes on to say:

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)

When we are finally broken and shattered and can honestly tell God, “I give up,” and let Him work through us, oh! what amazing works He will perform! How people will marvel, and that is your chance to let them know whose works they are!

Real strength is through Christ, who strengthens you. God’s work can begin at the end of yourself.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. -Psalm 91:1 (NIV)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. -Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

I’m revealing a very personal page of my testimony here in the hopes that it will help you or someone you know.

The verses above were given to me by a fellow agent who could see I was really struggling…emotionally on my knees. I realized that, when facing the relentless rain and hail, I wasn’t always above the circumstances as I thought I was. As much as I strived to fix my eyes on Him, I was getting cut and torn to ribbons.

What really happened is that I took my eyes off him and was lost in the rolling waves. And that is because…I was hardening my heart to try and protect myself from harm. I was doing it in my own strength. I wasn’t trusting God to take care of the situation, to protect me.

And as I knew in my heart and was told by my fellow agent, I’d separated myself from God by doing this. I wasn’t walking with Him. I was walking alone, with Satan cackling the whole way.

Striving is the key word I used above. Another verse comes to mind for when I strive:

Be still and know that I am God. -Psalm 46:10

Just stop. Stop.

When you’re facing a burst—or a season—of hardship on earth, don’t try to avoid it. Face it, not with your heart’s shields and walls up, but with the full armor of God on you to catch the heat so it doesn’t reach you.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. -Psalm 18:2 (NIV)

Retreat into His Word. Call out, mutter, whimper Jesus’ name. Think of all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. This is His command for how you should steer your will. Let His Word and His holy name be your shield and refuge so you can stand your ground and remain standing. Trust in His long view of your life and of those around you. Now is not the destination, but merely a stop on the way. These are steps in the tough climb to the next mountaintop, with plenty of good things to learn—and bad things to leave behind—on the way up.

I want you to know that I may be down, but I’m never out. And the same will go for you as long as you stop when you realize you’re not walking the walk you thought you were. Just get back on the path, because He is patiently and gently waiting for you to rejoin Him.

God always comes through. He never fails. Just suit up, be still, and take refuge in Him.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. -Matthew 11:28-30

If you’re anything like me, you’ll pile on more and more and more in your own strength, and can quickly forget who can relieve you of worldly worries and burdens. These burdens can include sharing burdens with others out of concern.

When you do that, it’s like swimming upstream against the current…you can only do that for so long…and you will eventually run out of your own strength.

No matter what the burdens are you face, the important thing to remember is that, as a child of the One True King, you do not have to shoulder these burdens in your strength. I know that I forget and do this all the time, because I’ve done that my whole life, and am still learning and establishing the new habit of entrusting my burdens and outcomes to God. After all, it’s the most natural thing to do in the flesh when faced with burdens…take them head on.

As believers, we shouldn’t be so reactive, but remember to step back before just jumping in. We need to remember that how we shoulder our burdens properly—by laying them in prayer and faith at His feet, and taking up His yoke—is immensely freeing. This is the opposite of what the world would say…the world would actually say that’s insanity. But that’s because the world doesn’t see that surrender isn’t the path to defeat, but to victory…and that burdens and outcomes are not ours to take on (which is an illusion), but to be given up.

When we go in the flow of His river, life and its stresses give us supernatural calm and peace. That’s what those who don’t have Jesus in their live search for their whole lives. For us, He is always present. We just have to jump in.

Today’s soundtrack

Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Dive” encourages us to dive in and His mighty river carry us: