Find strength in weakness

"There are certain emotions that will kill your drive; frustration and confusion.  You can change these to a positive force.  Frustration means you are on the verge of a breakthrough.  Confusion can mean you are about to learn something.  Expect the breakthrough and expect to learn" ~ Kathleen Spike. There is a very interesting concept in business studies called Emotional Intelligence which according to the oxford dictionary is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. In simpler terms I understand it as being able to control your emotions in every situation.  I have an older member from church who would always tell me I needed to apply emotional intelligence in all aspects of my life. He always told me that basing a decision on emotions is very dangerous because it always leads to regret afterwards due to the simple fact that feelings change so making a decision based on how you feel is ineffective since you are going to feel differently about the situation soon. 

This week my focus is on the period in life where one feels weak and defeated. This is a very difficult space to be in because you literally won't know what to do because there are a lot of emotions rushing through your system and in most cases you end up not doing anything and just immersing yourself in these feelings or doing the wrong thing. I felt that way a few days ago and I got a call from a friend of mine who said something that changed my entire perspective. He said "Remember Jesus saved the entire world when he was at his weakest point". After he had been beaten, humiliated and rejected which is a point that most of us are familiar with in different aspects of life, he still rose above all of the negativity and saved the entire world. This gave me the strength to know that it is possible to find strength in weakness and rise to do what needs to be done in spite of how you feel.I have never felt more empowered than I did at that moment, knowing that no matter what I go through I am still only as strong and as victorious as I see myself regardless of how I feel. 

Here are a few quotes that caught my eye and helped me even further in understanding all of this and applying it to my life :

• "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." ~ Joshua 1 vs 9
• "Use pain as a stepping stone, not a camp ground." ~ Alan Cohen
• "We plant seeds that will flower as results in our lives, so best to remove the weeds of anger, avarice, envy and doubt" ~ Dorothy Day
• "We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us — -how we can take it, what we do with it —- and that is what really counts in the end" ~ Joseph Fort Newton
• "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." ~ Psalm 73 vs 26
• "But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." ~ Isaiah 40 vs 31.

Remember where your source of strength lies in these trying times and know that his power is greater than whatever you are facing. I hope that you find strength in all your weaknesses and rise above all. Have a blessed week and Thank God its Monday