Not feeling very strong today

What is your spirit like? You know what part of you I am referring to, don't you? It is that part in you that animates you, gives you life, drives you onward, and keeps you centered in tough times. If you cannot answer that question truthfully then chances are that you are living a rather haphazard life. You are just willing to be pushed hither and yon, just 'existing', but not really 'living'. The spirit is not only what some refer to as the seat of your emotions - but it is most importantly the part of you that God would refer to as giving you 'character'. It is what makes you stand out and stand strong.

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit. 

(2 Timothy 1:7)

We are not the cowardly lion of the Oz type. We are not whimpering, timid creatures with no backbone. That is not how God made us. He made us to stand strong, powerful in all ways, able to resist every force that comes against us - IN HIM. We sometimes get this wrong - trying to stand strong, exhibit some form of power over something bothering us, all in our own efforts. That doesn't work well for us - in fact, it usually fails us somewhere along the way. We might have a somewhat positive outcome in our own efforts, but I doubt the outcome would be as good as it would have been if God had been our source of strength and powerful 'intervention' in the situation!

Our spirit (character) is powerful - no longer forced into timidity by our own shame or guilt. Our spirit is loving - not on our own, but because God's love indwells us and that love spills over into the lives of those around us. Our spirit is disciplined - no longer drifting along, but focused, determined, and steadfast. We don't possess these character traits in and of ourselves - they are a direct result of our spirit aligning with the Spirit of God. It is his Spirit within that 'innervates' our spirit. If you know anything about the nervous system, you understand that term. The nerves are what 'innervates' the parts of our body to move, function, and respond.

We don't want to move alone because we don't always find the places we move toward are good for us. They may not be places of safety and protection, but rather harsh and unreliable. We don't want to function apart from what helps us to function correctly. If you have ever had something go 'wonky' on you that was supposed to function one way and it totally functioned the other way, you know how 'incorrect functioning' can have a negative effect on us. For example, sometimes you take a cough medicine to calm your cough so you can sleep peacefully while recovering from your cold only to find it makes you unable to sleep. The 'functioning' was not as you desired!

As important as it is to be move and function in unison with God's Spirit, it is equally as important for us to respond to life events in the way God would desire. We don't do that in a vacuum - we respond as God would respond because we are IN HIM. We find our greatest strength not in standing alone, but in standing in unison with HIM. Just sayin!