Army Strong
This is a devotional that I gave to our "Wives in Waiting" group at our church. I hope it is helpful to you.
There's strong. Then there’s Army Strong.SM
Campaign Ethos Statement (Portions)
“Army strong is a unique brand of strength….
Being Army Strong is about much more than being physically
fit. It is mental and emotional strength. It is the confidence to lead. It is
the courage to stand up for your beliefs. It is the compassion to help others.
It is the desire for lifelong learning. It is the intelligence to make the
right decision. It is making a difference for yourself, your family, your
community and our nation.
This pressure was solidified by the now countless times I’ve
had friends tell me things like, “Wow! You are so strong. I don’t know how you
do it!” While statements like that used to make me swell with pride in knowing
I was fulfilling my patriotic duty of being “Army Strong,” now I just want to
respond with statements like “I’m not as strong as you think I am.”
Simply put, I’m exhausted.
Why? I mean really! What do I have to do. Um, I have no
kids, no job, and only the simple responsibilities of taking care of my
1-bedroom apartment and the family finances. Oh, and my husband…that too!
Living apart from Russ for the last two years has done more than just make me
sad, and make me miss him. It’s exhausted me to a point where I think that the
last month “Army Strong” has been replaced with “Army burnout!”
What I’m about to share with you is probably the greatest
lesson that I am in the process of learning. Actually, I think it’s something
I’m just barely beginning to grasp…beginning to understand. These principles
are not anything that I can even honestly say that I practice on a daily basis,
but they are things that God has been attempting to show me, and I hope will
help you.
1) It’s okay
to be weak
I find so many times I am guilty of putting pressure upon
myself that no one, not even God or my husband, has asked me to bear. The idea
that I need to be “Army Strong” comes from only one person…myself. It is based
in pride really…not wanting people to be able to look at me as one of those
Army wives who is just barely getting by, or who cries all the time, or who
“just can’t handle it.” So I put up this façade and only show people my good
days. I don’t complain or tell people when I’m having a hard time. Instead
those are the days I lock myself in my house with movies and ice cream, stay
invisible on messenger, and don’t answer the phone or return emails.
I also seem to shut out God. I think sometimes I am
convinced that even He really doesn’t understand or that He can’t really help
me. I’m convinced that being strong means that I just have to get through it
all on my own.
The Bible shows me just the opposite:
Exodus 3:7: And the
LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt,
and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their
sorrows;
Psalm 103:13-17: Like as a father pitieth his children, so
the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth
that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field,
so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place
thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to
everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's
children;
God knows our frame. He knows exactly how much we can
handle, and where our weaknesses are. He doesn’t expect us to be strong all the
time. In fact, He tells us that that is humanly impossible:
Isaiah 40:28-31: Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard,
that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth,
fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He
giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth
strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall
utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they
shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they
shall walk, and not faint.
Psalm 37:23-27: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the
LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly
cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
I used to think that that verse was about a good man falling
into sin. But on further study I found out that the word simply means what it
says “to fall.” This falling isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Rather, just an
instance of weakness or lack of strength. But when such an instance occurs,
that person is not “cast down” or thrown away. Rather, God uses that time to
uphold the weak one with His very own hand.
It is when we are weak that God works through us and
strengthens us:
1 Corinthians 12:6-10:
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan
to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought
the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am
weak, then am I strong.
2) Strength
cannot be measured, nor is it determined by the difficulty level of the circumstances
you are facing.
Another matter of thinking that I have found to be false is
the idea that some people are “stronger” than others, or how difficult the
situation I’m going through determines how strong I really am. Again this idea
is solidified by the comments of well-meaning friends who could NEVER see
themselves as a military wife. While I’m not saying that God doesn’t give
possibly and extra measure of grace and strength to people in our situation to
get through the unique struggles we face, God undoubtedly gives other people
strength in other areas that I would find difficult to face. The fact that I’m
a military wife doesn’t make me any stronger than the wife of a civilian. It
simply forces me to channel the strength that I have, the strength that I get
from God, into areas where they don’t have to.
I also find myself being both prideful and discouraged when
I compare myself to other military wives, thinking that how strong I am is
based on what I’m going through.
Thoughts like: “Well, her hubby is only in AIT, sheesh if
she can’t handle it now just wait until she hits a deployment!” This is nothing
but pride, and a reminder to have compassion, and remember what it was like for
me when I was in her position!
On the flip side sometimes I feel inadequate or “not as much
of an Army wife” because my husband won’t be gone for 15 months, or because he
is safe because he isn’t in a combat job, or because I don’t have to juggle the
responsibility of children right now. I get burdened down with guilt because I
feel like it’s not fair that other people have it so much harder, and then
wrong because I seem to have such a hard time with it.
God will only give to each of us what He knows we can handle
with His strength:
1 Corinthians 10:13: There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
We are also unwise to compare ourselves to others:
2 Corinthians 10:12: For we dare not make ourselves of the
number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they
measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves,
are not wise.
3) Being
strong is a command of God, but one that is always connected to a reason beyond
human strength…God’s unfailing presence.
This may seem contradictory to I said above…Aprille, you
just said it was okay to be weak! It is, but within reason. God doesn’t want us
to live defeated weak lives, especially when it is within His power to help us!
Deuteronomy 31:6: Be strong and of a good courage, fear not,
nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee;
he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Joshua 1:5-6: There shall not any man be able to stand
before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with
thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage:
for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I
sware unto their fathers to give them.
Joshua 1:9: Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a
good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is
with thee whithersoever thou goest.
1 Chronicles 28:20: And David said to Solomon his son, Be
strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD
God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee,
until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 25:8: But if thou wilt go, do it; be strong for
the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to
help, and to cast down.
I find it so interesting that God never says “Be strong,
because I know you can do it!” or “Be strong, cuz that’s just what Army wives
do!” or even “Be strong, you’ll get through this! You don’t have any other
choice!”
No, He says, “Be strong, because I have the power to get you
through this.”
4) Strength
comes from waiting on, depending upon, looking to the LORD for His strength
Isaiah 26:3-4: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose
mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for
ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
We are not alone:
It is only by relying on God that we can do anything in our
lives:
John 15:4-5: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in
me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing.”
Daniel 10:19: And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not:
peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me,
I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
In : Army Life
Tags: army deployment
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