COVID-19 Novel Encouragement Sample

Strong in the Lord

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11

During hard times, friends sometimes tell us to be strong. But how can you be strong if you feel weak? The Bible says that the weak shall be strong, and the key is found in Ephesians chapter six: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Some people I know seem to have figured this out. They might be going through a really hard time in their personal lives, with many difficulties hitting all at once – but still, somehow they seem stable, and they are even able to comfort others! They have learned to draw strength from Jesus.

Personally I like to do this every day – just like the body needs food every day, so my soul needs to be with Jesus every day. I set aside a time that is dedicated for me to be alone with him. When I spend time alone with Jesus, undistracted and focused, it is like charging my spirit.

This daily time does not always look the same, but it often starts out like this: After a simple breakfast I sit down with a cup of coffee while I listen to a daily Bible meditation from Abide (a mobile app). After listening to that I may feel lead to look up the Bible verses they talked about and study it more in context. That helps me understand God more.

But other times the daily Bible meditation reminds me of what Jesus has done for me; and all I want to do after listening is worship him! I might worship him simply by my words, declaring my adoration for him, or I might sing along to some of my favorite worship songs. I often experience God’s presence with me when I worship. When this happens it is as if I am drinking water for my soul. It really strengthens me, and when I face the rest of the day after this, I always seem to be able to make better decisions and also to enjoy my work more. Tasks don’t feel like chores because I remember the meaning behind them.

I will be honest and admit that it is not always like this. Many times I feel distracted and I struggle to focus during my time with the Lord, but I have made a commitment to fight these distractions fiercely, because I know I need to be filled every day. This dedication is important, it keeps me going when I am tempted to skip. At times like this, it helps to have something planned that I can fall back on. For example, that Bible meditation app that I mentioned, or a regular Bible reading plan to follow every day.

I also have a habit of praying for other people. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed though because there are so many things and people to pray for, so I have made myself a little help in how to navigate this: I have a cup full of wooden popsicle sticks in my living room. (Bought them on Taobao.) On each stick I have written someone to pray for, for example: Pray for Wuhan, My Parents, or Our Marriage. And each day I pick up a few sticks to be praying for that day. One by one I hold these few sticks in my hands and pray for each person or situation until I feel like I am done. Then I might put the sticks back in the cup, or maybe hold on to one that I want to remember to pray for throughout that day. Having something so tangible that I can put it in my pocket and carry with me is really helpful for me, and I love that I get to pick and not feel obligated to pray for everything every day. Instead, I really focus on the ones I choose.

Then there are days when I am hurting or afraid and am not ready to fight in prayer for others. On those days I find comfort in that I can simply hide in Jesus Christ because the Bible says that we are hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). I draw strength from meditating on Scriptures that comfort me and puts my situation into the right perspective, such as Psalm 32, and I listen to songs that shift my focus from me to Jesus. Despair and discouragement lose its grip on me when I keep doing this. This is how I keep growing strong in the Lord, and nothing can take this source of strength from me.

Prayer: God, I thank you that you know me so well and are always able to fill me up. I want to learn to draw strength from you! You are my strength and my song!

By Louise Choong – BICF City Church