Faith for the Journey: Five Days of Encouragement and InsightSample

Day One: The Power of His Strength

Our trials and challenges come as no surprise to God. By acknowledging, articulating, and giving thanks for God’s blessings, no matter how small or how great, we familiarize ourselves with the tools and supports He has put around us to strengthen us when the occasion requires it.

Jesus plainly said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Despondency, oppression, disappointment, discouragement—each of these can weigh us down. The loss of a job, the sickness of a child, the death of a parent, a failed marriage, the dissolution of a business—the impact of these events are real. Knowing God intends good plans for us does not mean these hard things won’t happen to us. They will and do. We may never know victory in the way the world defines it, but we can be assured of His victory. Remember Stephen’s beaming face as he confronted his own brutal death by stoning (Acts 7:54–56).

It is also true that such events can actually be beyond our human ability to cope. What a reassurance then from Isaiah 40:31 that God knows it will require His agency to enable you to not be pressed down by the forces of disappointment and discouragement. In life there are updrafts and downdrafts. The downdrafts are those forces that come against us and can crush our spirit and steal our hope. The updrafts come from God. Isaiah says, “Those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength” and “mount up with wings like eagles.”Eagles soar as the air rises beneath their wings. It is a powerful image: you stretch out your wings, completely vulnerable and reliant on God to provide the updraft. It can be a bold and frightening thing to do, standing there, wings outstretched, undercarriage exposed.

Why would you do it? Because you are mindful of the arc of God’s faithfulness throughout your life, the good plans He has for you, and you know that you can trust Him. So you stretch out your wings in faith, wait on Him in trust, and mount up and soar as He has promised.

Response:

Reflecting on today's devotion about the Power of His Strength, consider a time when you felt overwhelmed by life's challenges. How did you experience God's strength in that situation, and how did it impact your faith journey?

Prayer:

Father, thank you for speaking through Isaiah to remind us that as we wait on you, we will gain new strength; we will walk and not grow faint; and we will see your plans for our good unfold. Amen.