Strengthen Your Faith In The Lord

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and Happy, Happy New Year!

Here we go into a brand-new year, and already this first day of 2021, I am strengthening myself in the Lord. Because I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a challenging year, and man, I need all the strength in the Lord I can get. And you do, too. Today is a new start, a fresh beginning and what better way to head into January than to strengthen yourself in the Lord, right? 1 Samuel 30:6 explains what that means; it describes a time when David was feeling overwhelmed by his challenges, and it says he was greatly distressed. But then it says he “encouraged [that is he strengthened] himself in the Lord.” And I’m doing exactly that because I have questions about what this year may hold. Believe it or not, I am still sequestering at home, and I’ve been doing that since last March! As a quadriplegic with fragile lungs, will I ever be able to get out and about on a regular basis? Will the new year hold another wave of coronavirus? Will my chronic pain get worse? Crazy questions, and so this past week, whenever my fearful heart needed fortification, I kept “strengthening myself in the Lord.” And it helped so much. Just what does it mean? What does “strengthening yourself in the Lord” look like?

Well, consider what David did in 1 Samuel. He repeated, he kept rehearsing the many promises of God. He kept telling himself what he knew to be true about the Lord. He reminded his weak faith of better times; of the wondrous things God had done for him in the past. He inasmuch said, “Why are you downcast oh my soul? Put your hope in God, your Savior. Come on, you should know better. The Lord is trustworthy; grab ahold of that truth.” Friend, that is what I’ve been doing. Talking to my soul, preaching to my heart, bolstering my faith in the same way, remembering, in fact, how Jesus pushed through his own challenges. Hebrews 12 says that as Jesus picked up his cross, his hope was for the “joy set before him.” Now, my Savior’s my example. Like David, I keep telling myself, “Look, Joni, the Bible says that if you persevere under trial, there’s a crown of life awaiting you. So, don’t risk missing out on that. If Jesus could carry his cross for the joy that was set before him, you can do the same; he has left you an example that you should follow in his steps. So, get with it. Hold fast to the trustworthiness of God.”

Friend, right there is the way – the exact way – you strengthen yourself in the Lord. It’s one reason why I am, once again, reading through the Bible this year, along with Ken. I want to stay connected to the Word; I do not want to forget his promises. And I encourage you to join me. In fact, today, the first day of the year, we are starting in Genesis where we read about the very first promise of a Savior. Look, you’ll stay strong in the Lord if you stay strong in his Word. So, please, join me; go to joniradio.org today and download our reading schedule. And also, on my radio page you’ll find more information about our new Pray for Life Bible and our special gift for you on biblical chronology. Again, it’s all there for you on joniradio.org where we share hope through every hardship. Hope that will help you strengthen yourself in the Lord all throughout 2021. Honestly, it’s why – it’s the main reason why – I can say to you with hope and confidence: Happy New Year from all of us at Joni and Friends!

© Joni and Friends

Chronology of the Bible

Follow the chronological timeline of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation with this colorful, 14-page, pamphlet. Understand how over 200 key Bible characters, books and events fit within the larger story of God’s Word. A valuable resource for covering 2,200 years of biblical history at a glance!