Are you in a season of weakness? Do you feel as if your body is continuing to get weaker even though you are wanting to get stronger? If you are facing a chronic illness, or other struggles most likely you have experienced this.
Currently, I have been facing more weakness because of my chronic pain. My muscles are continuing to atrophy and feel weaker due to the progression of my CMT. Recently, I have laid awake at night crying because of how severe my pain is. And there are moments I notice how weak my body feels, and sometimes it causes me to be discouraged.
In this past year, more changes have come when I started wearing my AFO's (leg braces) anytime I left my home. These leg braces are meant to help my fatigue and give support to my feet and muscles that are not working correctly.
Without wearing my braces, I experience problems with balance, and there are times I feel as if I may fall at any given moment. To be honest, not all days are like these, but it is becoming more frequent.
Now, as years have gone by since I was first diagnosed with this disease, I'm having to realize that I am getting weaker.
Are there times when you feel weak?
You may feel weak because of a chronic illness. The disease I have, CMT, causes weakness in the muscles due to the peripheral nerves slowly deteriorating. I know this is where I am in this season of my life.
You could be experiencing a feeling of weakness physically because of treatment or even a medication that is meant to help reduce pain.
But, what if your weakness is not necessarily physical?
Maybe you are feeling weak emotionally. When it comes to living with a chronic illness it can bring seasons of depression or anxiety due to unknown. For those of us who are struggling with this, we are not aware of what could change or get worse in a month or even five years from now.
Then there are others struggling emotionally because of a loss of a family member, or work, or even problems in relationships.
No matter the circumstance, we are all going to face seasons of weakness. This could be seen through physically, emotionally, and even spiritually.
The question I asked myself a few years ago is "where do I find the strength to keep going?"
Finding Strength
The answer is looking to God for strength. He is the reason I'm able to keep going when I feel like I'm falling. Before my diagnosis, I didn't always look to God for strength in every moment of my day. Now, as I am continuing to get weaker, I know that I'm not able to do this by myself.
I want to encourage you to spend time in God's word. There is scripture, such as in the book of Psalm, that is helpful when feeling weak. I encourage you to read verses from scripture, listen to worship music, podcasts, or write down your thoughts and prayers.
Look for support from family or friends. Having someone to be there through phone calls, letters, or texts, is a source of encouragement. God did not plan for us to walk through these seasons alone.
My hope is you continue to look to God for strength. Even at this moment whether it might be chronic illness, death of a loved one, or struggles emotionally, I pray you will look to the one who is higher than this suffering. He loves and cares for you.
God Is Our Strength
As you go through this day, this is a beautiful reminder that God is there to give us strength.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with surging.
Psalm 46: 1-3
Question: How are you finding strength today?