“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”Proverbs 24:10
Everyone has adversity in their life. Yours will be different than mine, but we all have it at some point. Job said “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). We live in a fallen, sinful world, so trouble will come. Jesus said, “…In the world ye shall have tribulation…” (John 16:33). We are certain to face difficulties.
Since we know trouble will come, how do we prepare for it? How should we respond when it comes? How can we get through it victoriously? Proverbs 24:10 tells us “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” If we faint when trouble comes, we are weak. So how do we gain strength so we aren’t too weak to stand?
Proverbs 24:5 says, “A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.” A wise man (or lady) will know how to gain strength. We know from Proverbs 1:7 that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and we know wisdom is found in God’s Word.
In 1 Samuel 30 we find David and his men have wept until they have no more power to weep. These grown men, hardened soldiers, have wept until they can weep no more. They returned from a battle they were not allowed to fight, only to find their city burned and their families captured. David is in great distress. On top of this calamity, the people are talking about stoning him. These men have volunteered, followed David, lived with him, and fought with him. Now they have turned on him. It was a crushing blow.
However, at the end of verse 6, we see David’s response. “…but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” In verse 8 David seeks God’s direction. In verse 9 David follows God’s plan. We can follow the same plan when we face trouble.
- Encourage ourselves in the Lord – Remember God’s faithfulness. Remember God’s power to deliver. Remember God’s character.
- Seek God’s direction – “I don’t know what to do now, God. Show me what direction to go.”
- Follow God’s direction – Sometimes God makes us wait before He gives us clear direction. When He doesn’t answer, wait in faith that He will answer in His time.
Follow God’s direction, no matter how difficult it seems. Follow God’s direction, even if it doesn’t make sense to us. Follow God’s direction, even if your flesh hates it. Trust & Obey.
Sometimes God’s direction is to do nothing. Sometimes He wants to fight for us, and show His mighty power. When this is His answer, be content to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
About Myra Johnson
Myra and her husband, Rob, have been serving the Lord in the African country of Botswana since 2015. Myra’s love for missions placed her on various mission fields around the world. She enjoys writing about life in Africa and personal lessons from the Lord on her blog, www.myranoel.com and ministry website, www.safariforsouls.com.
“Designed to promote Biblical living for today’s Christian Woman.”
It is our highest desire that this publication encourages and edifies ladies in their daily walk with the Lord and strengthens them in their God-given role as wives, mothers, daughters, and servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.