I Can Do All Things Through Christ, Who Strengthens Me

John 3:1-2
"Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him."

No ONE can do 'things' unless God is with him.

My testimony is simple. I was sinking to nothingness, I was miserable, and I needed help. My faith in God was weak and I was lost. Yes, this was me. Yes, this is still me. And yes, I am like so many.

But I have hope.

I called a friend, desperate for advice. I needed some words of inspiration and he told me to read Jeremiah 29:11-14.

My basic understanding of this verse is; that the thoughts the Lord has for us are of peace. And that he has provided a plan for our future filled with hope. We need to call on Him everyday and he will listen, but we need to do this with all our heart.

Asking God for help is what He wants us to do. When we ask for help in prayer we build our strength. It is as simple and as specific as that: Ask God for strength. If you do, anything is possible.

I was low on faith. I needed to build my faith. I came to a realization that I could get through the day, and do what I needed to do, because God was there to help me.

Success cannot be achieved alone. We all need help; from family to coworkers. One key to success is to ask for help. Asking for help builds a relationship. It builds strength and more is accomplished. Building any type of relationship gives you strength, not weakness. If this is the case, then your personal relationship with God is the help you need to succeed. For me: to succeed in pulling myself out of my misery and to build my faith.

Prayer is our time to meditate and a time to clear our minds so that we can prepare ourselves for our daily tasks. This is our time to build a relationship with God.

2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Yes, I was in the dumps and I was reminded that the strength I need wasn't from a friend's words of wisdom, but by God's words and the relationship I have with Him. It is so easy to forget that God wants us to turn to Him first; not last. Many of us wait, we seek strength in other ways, and as the last resort, we turn to Him in prayer. Prayer helps us clear our minds - and being of a sound mind gets us out of the rut.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus in you."

Our change in attitude, by being thankful, changes everything in our life. If we are thankful for things we are looking at the positive things - we are taking action to look up, and not down. This, along with everything God has provided for us, is how he gives us strength.

Psalm 9:9-10
"The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed; A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."

On that day I needed help, the bible became more than just a book on my shelf. It became a direct communication with God - someone who, on that day, knew His words would lift me up and pull me away from my worries.

Haven't you worried and felt all the strength drain from your body? There is nothing you can do when you worry.

Matthew 6:34
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Build your relationship with God today. This will prepare you and give you strength to deal with the worries of tomorrow. You'll find that you will get through the day and that you were able to accomplish all things with the strength of Christ in you, and are more prepared to face tomorrow.

There are reminders every day of Gods gifts: friends, family, a job (even if you hate it), and the solitude of church. These things are provided to you from Him. Find strength in them rather than taking them for granted.

This was the case for me. I was thankful for the things around me instead of the worries ahead of me. It took encouragement from a friend to read the bible - a simple reminder that:

Matthew 19:26
"...with God, all things are possible."