The encouraging words "Be strong and courageous"are best known as God's words to Joshua as he took the baton from Moses and began to lead the people of Israel. However they do occur elsewhere as does the word strength by itself. God may counsel you today "Be strong" if you are feeling depressed or defeated. However He offers much more than this challenge.
The psalmist writes: The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trustsin him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
God provides His strength, inner strength to face temptation, to reject sin, to persist when we feel like quitting, to persevere through pain. The Lord is our strength. His people do find strength in Him. And when we feel that we have no strength? Millions testify that when it seemed all strength was gone, they felt God "carry them".
In a similar way we are exhorted to be joyful and to rejoice. Yet at the same time we would affirm that in the midst of overwhelming sorrow, God can be the source of our joy.
"You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy" Psalm 30:11
The psalmist writes: The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trustsin him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
In a similar way we are exhorted to be joyful and to rejoice. Yet at the same time we would affirm that in the midst of overwhelming sorrow, God can be the source of our joy.
"You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy" Psalm 30:11
I hope today you are feeling strong in the Lord and clothed with joy (maybe you even feel like dancing!)
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