The Strength to Endure

It had been a difficult couple of months. Health challenges left me chronically fatigued. Staff shortages and extra responsibilities at work caused me constant stress.

One morning, after another restless night, I woke up with a throbbing headache and felt sick to my stomach. I did my best to prepare for what I knew would be a challenging day. As I drove to work, I spoke the only prayer I could muster: “God, I cannot get through this day without you. Please help me. I need you.” While my headache didn’t magically disappear nor did my nausea subside, I felt a wave of peace come over me.

In spite of not feeling well, I survived the workday. Through God’s strength and grace I was actually highly productive. On the drive home that evening, my prayer of desperation was replaced with a prayer of thankfulness: “I made it through today only because of you. Thank you for strengthening me.”

We are not intended to operate only on our own strength; when we try to do things on our own, we end up overburdened and exhausted. Our strength comes from God, who gives us all we need to endure.