Healthy Self: Heart, Soul, Mind & Strengthናሙና

His Strength in Our Weakness

Ultimately, our health is not completely within our control. We can take all the steps and steward to the best of our ability, but we each have factors that limit us. Those may change over the course of our lives. We have differing abilities, limitations, energy levels, gifts and struggles and we all require rest. No matter how we treat our health, only God knows the days He has numbered for each of us. But as much as it depends on you, decide to love God with your heart, soul, mind and strength. Surrender any unhealthy expectations you have put upon yourself or lies you have believed.

I struggled for years with wanting to not need rest. I thought I would be more productive with less sleep because theoretically I could get more done with more waking hours. (Or, in actuality, to sit on the couch watching more episodes of my favorite show.)

Sleep seemed almost like a punishment because it kept me from being productive or from unwinding as much as I wanted to after a full day. But as Psalm 137 tells us, sleep is a gift to us from God. We are designed to need sleep and we just don’t function well without enough of it. Admitting this and prioritizing adequate rest has helped me be less grumpy and to have more energy to live intentionally and care well for others in my life.

Accepting that I am limited reminds me that only God is unlimited. None of us is above depending on Him - it is what we are designed to do, and what our faith is based upon. He does what we cannot. From the sacrifice that paid for my sins and makes a way to relationship with Him, to His omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience; God alone has no limits.

As our loving Father, God gives us boundaries and parameters because He cares so much for us. Obeying His ways leads to the fullest life. John 10:10 tells us that He gives “life to the full!” Admitting that we need God is not weakness, it’s wisdom. But also, in our weakness, He is strong. Today, confess to God your need for His strength, wisdom, power and inspiration to live out the thriving life He has designed you for.

Action Steps:

• What limitations are actually gifts from God?
• Where are you tempted to reject your God-given limitations?
• Could you find more health and wholeness by embracing them?

This YouVersion plan was written by Lindsay Few, content director of Awesome Marriage. This YouVersion plan was written by Lindsay Few, content director of Awesome Marriage.

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