Inspirational, Uplifting and Encouraging Bible Verses: Psalm 102: Being Strong, Hanging in There, Never Giving Up

“In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days.” Psalm 102:23-24

I tend to be a glass half full kind of a guy. So many things to be thankful for, even when disappointment comes my way.

Have I been knocked around a bit during the course of my life? Sure, most of us have. Figuratively speaking, have had my head handed to me a few times during the last ½ year.

My first reaction, wonder what God is telling me? History says the answer will come, it always does. Already have at least a partial answer actually. I suppose I could say definitively that “In the course of my life he broke my strength; Physically, mentally and spiritually. And what comes after that? First grace, in the ability afforded me to recover and bounce back. Second, and perhaps most important, I am undeniably changed. I will not forget. There was a necessity to be broken, a need to have certain things permanently etched in my memory banks; a process required in order to unpeel and reshape a nature both innate and fostered by an outside world over a span of many years. You can be born stubborn and then conditioned to be more so. Getting a nailed together box open requires the right tool. In that case, a crowbar. God uses required tools and methods as well. He will do what is required, whatever the project demands. I find it astounding at times, the lengths He has had to go to in order to open me up.

The breaking then, can be done in corrective fashion. A slap upside the head. Better to pay a disciplinary penalty now then a steeper one later. The mechanic in the old FRAM oil filter commercial put it well, “You can pay me now, or pay me later”.

In other instances, the trials are simply brought on to make us strong. Classic case of the training effect. That is why a fighter does roadwork, why he spars and spends hours punching a heavy bag. It prepares him for an upcoming fight. God may be simply conditioning us for a job or continuing role He has planned for us.

So when something tough happens, it could be for a myriad of reasons. Maybe He wants us to back away from the shoreline we had been on, as we were getting too close to the water. Or, we had already jumped in and needed to get out before the current caught us and we got swept away. At the other extreme, we might have been right where He intended; just in the middle of a strengthening process, one in which we need to get up and go right back at it. Getting knocked down might just require we get up and fight harder.

All the more reasons to remain faithful and keep our spiritual ears open.

I don’t want to ever give up, although I understand why some people seem to. Life can get discouraging, it sure can. Despite that, I think I have a Lord who loves me and has big plans ahead. Plans for all of us. Just have to try and seek His will, listen to His voice.

Christopher Cross is on Pandora right now, “Ride Like the Wind.” Takes me back to 9^th grade, I can remember where I was when that song was playing. Lot of dreams back then; have been knocked down a few times . Have some new ones now, and despite the knockdowns, still have some gas in the tank. Praise God and bring it on.