From Stuck to Strong

Well now friend, look at you stoppin’ by. Step on through this gate and settle yourself on one of them stumps out here by the porch because what we are about to chew on is richer than fresh churned butter meltin’ on hot cornbread. I was watchin’ a plump little ol’ possum earlier this mornin’ tryin’ to sneak off with a chicken biscuit he found under the porch. He strutted across the yard like he owned the whole county, tail swishin’ like he was walkin’ a woodland fashion runway. And right then it hit me as I thought, “Mercy, if that scruffy lil’ rascal can walk around with that much confidence, surely God’s children can learn to stand a little taller, too.” That there notion settled right on in my heart like the quiet stillness that falls over a barnyard just before sunrise. It brought to mind Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Do you believe you are stuck where you are? Some folks land in hard places because life threw them a curveball big enough to knock a mule sideways. Maybe they were laid off. Maybe sickness knocked the wind out of their sails. Maybe medical bills piled up higher than a haystack in July. Friend, God sees every bit of it. These moments can teach you to trust Him and to receive help from Him and from others.

But hear this loud and clear. You don’t have to stay where you started. You’re not a victim. God never called His children to live with a victim mindset. You may have begun life without two nickels to rub together, but you don’t have to keep on stayin’ there.

Victim mentality says, “This is just my lot in life.” Faith says, “God has more for me than this.”
Victim mentality says, “I can’t give because I have nothing.” Faith says, “I’ll give what I have and watch God multiply it.” Victim mentality says, “Things’ll never change.” Faith says, “My God will meet all my needs according to His riches in glory” Philippians 4:19.

Your struggles are real, but they don’t define your future. God specializes in takin’ folks from stuck to soaring, from barely makin’ it to boldly livin’ it.

Father, thank You that I am not a victim. Help me walk in the strength You give. Teach me to trust You with my needs and my future. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Friend, let me tuck this last truth beside you the way a soft evening breeze settles into the tall grass, gentle but unforgettable. You’re not trapped. You’re not powerless. You’re not forgotten. You are a child of the King who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the hills themselves, and every critter scamperin’ across them. So, lift your head, square your shoulders, and remember that with Christ strengthenin’ you, your story is not stuck at all. It’s just gettin’ started real good.

With joy,

Gwen