Be Strong
Every muscle was taut- arms, shoulders, legs- as I continued to hold the machine 'almost' upright- 'almost' to the tipping point where it would land upright on its wheels. I was talking to God out loud the whole time. The machine was still idling, and I only had two options: 1) give up and let the machine settle back on its side under the mucky water; or, 2) gently feather the throttle in the hope that I could move the machine forward. I needed power and I HAD power.
For that I was truly thankful. I moved the ATV an inch. The left wheels were all nearly 3 feet off the ground, so I was crawling forward on the edge of the right wheels only. I made a second inch and I felt the pressure on my arms and shoulders releasing. I made a third inch and a fourth and suddenly the machine fell upright onto its six wheels. And that was it. Other than wading out of a muckhole and driving out through several more difficult spots, this adventure was behind me. But I still had to clean up the mess. In fact, days later I am STILL cleaning up the mess. Life is like that.
God often brings the rescue, but we still need to clean up the mess, whether it's from our own poor decisions or sin or the impact of someone else's. The man or woman of God accepts this, buckles down and does whatever it takes. You see, living in a broken world means we will all face struggles.
Jesus gave us a much needed reminder when he said in John 16:33, "In this world you WILL have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!" Life can be messy at times. Life WILL be messy at times. But BE STRONG in your heart. The victory is ours in Christ Jesus! Be blessed! -Pastor Brad
Written on August 17, 2025
Posted in Daily Devotions