“The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?”
— Proverbs 18:14 (AMP)
Strength Training for Your Spirit
Everyone will experience sickness or trouble sometimes, but if your spirit is strong, you can face it and survive. But someone with a weak or wounded spirit finds it nearly impossible to bear up under anything.
Haven’t you noticed this difference in yourself? On Monday, when you’re confident inside and someone calls you a stupid name, you shrug it off. You know that the problem is with the other person, not you. But if it happens again on Wednesday, when you feel weaker inside, the same remark makes you cry. Sometimes you know the cause of feeling “down” (a bad grade, overhearing a fight between your parents, the flu), but some days there seems to be no reason. When your spirit is weak, it’s hard to overcome or endure anything with the right attitude.
So what can you do? First, you must learn to encourage yourself. There won’t always be someone around to do it for you. David learned this too and wrote, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).
More To Explore: Psalm 51:10 – 12 and 1 Peter 1:3 – 7
Girl Talk: Are there days when your spirit feels stronger and more confident? Or weaker and easily hurt? Do you ask God for help?
God Talk: “Lord, sometimes my spirit gets hurt so easily. Please help me to rely on you, not on others. I want my hope to stay in you! Amen.”
From Girlz Rock by Kristi Holl