And he said, “Oman greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Daniel 10:19

How blessed are we that our Father and Creator opens our eyes to the same encouragement He gives Daniel? For we, like he who loves God, also cry out to our Lord in our distress. We see Daniel as an example of faith under fire in this passage. He sees the destruction and devastation coming upon the people he loves, yet he is strengthened.

Although our circumstances may be different, we too see havoc upon us. Powerless, we begin seeking ways to build up our courage. As we undergo illness, distress, loss, and heartache in our own lives and in the lives of those we love, we cry out to the Lord.

Therefore, we have hope as we read this passage because God always sends comfort and reassurance when we cry out to Him. Daniel’s vision of what will happen to his people in the latter days is devastating. The truth of the conflict in the vision causes him to lose his appetite and mourn for three weeks.

The Comforter envelopes us with new courage.

When we receive devastating news or undergo a health crisis, we too can be in the same distress. Weak and wondering, Daniel see’s the messenger of God coming to reassure him in his time of need. Terrified, he falls to his knees. He displays an example of where our posture before the Lord will be when we face Him in our darkest hour.

Moreover, emotional pain and heartache from physical loss can take our breath away and remove our words. However, when we come trembling before God with the devastation of it, He sees our misery. The doubt, fear, and debility are laid before Him. Unseen, our spirit cries out. Exhausted and exposed to our own vulnerability, we fully submit our warring emotions to Him.

God hears our cries

As a result, we slowly feel a warmth in the pit of our soul spread like a soothing balm to calm our tumultuous emotions. God hears our cries and sees our surrender to Him. Jesus picks up the pieces laid before Him and methodically puts them in order as the Comforter envelopes us with new courage.

For further encouragement check out the devotion page on this site!

 Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel, not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your deliverance—and this is from God.

Philippians 1:27-28 ESV

1. LIVE WORTHY

You and I are often under the impression that we are trudging through life alone. Outside of our much needed support systems, spouses, and best friends, the core of disease affects us personally. Although we know others have similar afflictions and circumstances, the impact of it actually occurring right now, in my life, at this time, is almost consuming. Nothing prepares us for the unthinkable, because it is not normal to pursue thoughts of disease or infallibility. So, when the dreaded word of cancer, heart disease, diabetes (you fill in the blank) is presented our reaction is: Total shock, followed quickly by fierce denial.

Granted, no one else is in your skin, knows your deepest fears, or understands your uncertainty in processing news. You know it happens every day to millions of people, but today…. it affects you. There is a price for daily choices instant gratification cannot pay but only accrue. Mounting interest escalates into the bankruptcy of nutrient depleted cells and a fight to maintain balance. But wait! There is good news! Not only is the gospel of grace for your spiritual benefit it also empowers you to make better choices for living well. Paul says “live worthy” implying a strength for resisting physical temptations as inherent in the life of believers.

Resilience is in your Devine design. God made your body and every nutrient in the garden with the capability to restore and reboot dying cells. He also gave you the Holy Spirit to become a new person, with new values, and a new desire to please God.

2. STAND FIRM

So, with that determination in mind, you and I can stand firm on the strength of God’s word to fill our grasping souls with His Word and His provision of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and protein in the tasty creations from our grocer’s garden (or our own). The plentiful fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and lean (minimally processed) meats are at our fingertips. Stand frim in faith and hope in our Lord Jesus to sustain the needs of our minds; quelling the anxious thoughts of fear with reassurance. All the while, filling the void of emptiness with peace and comfort; no preservative laden oatmeal cream pie can fill! He is with us always, even until the end of the age. Isn’t it comforting to know we can lean on Him through times of uncertainty?

3. WORK SIDE BY SIDE

But we don’t have to do it alone! We have the help of our coach and a network of people working side by side to cheer us along the way. Encouraging us in those daily victories, pulling us out of that sense of defeat, and LISTENING to our struggles. Facing temptations head on with prayer allows us a chance to step back from a situation, reevaluate, and pursue a stronger option. Prayer and scripture memory effectively renew the mind with the strength of the Holy Spirit! He is also there with us, working side by side; guiding, counseling, comforting. Even if we are not feeling His presence today, all we have to do is ask!

Luke 11:13 says,  “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” God wants to be first in our lives; over food, sweets, material things, jobs, and even family. The reward is such amazing contentment, we won’t know how to react!

• Practical ways to apply this today:
• Pray
• Drink 8-12 ounces of water. Especially if I just ate a full meal two hours ago and I couldn’t possibly be hungry. (This applies unless otherwise instructed by your doctor)
• Move every 30 minutes. If you have a desk job, just getting up to stretch your legs and walking 20-30 ft. every half an hour helps blood flow to your extremities and return to your brain. It helps your mind focus better, while stimulating your metabolism. As well as giving your eyes a rest from the computer. So many benefits from one small move!

May God bless you and keep you as we live worthy, stand frim, and work side by side! We will be successful in rebuilding our cells to strengthen us mentally, while healing physically; repairing our bodies bite by bite to their fullest potential. I’ll be praying for both of us!