“You’re walking like a person who prepared for elective surgery.”
The day after surgery to repair a fractured hip, my physical therapist walked down the hall with me at a snail’s pace. With an IV attached to my right arm and wearing a hospital gown and special socks, I hardly felt like a model walker.
“Prepared?” I asked, puzzled by her statement. “I fell in my kitchen while walking to the sink. This is a surprise?”
“You walk with unusual strength and have gone more feet than I would have expected,” she answered.
“I walk about three miles, four days a week.”
“Though this fall surprised you, your muscles were prepared for it,” she said.
The conversation resonated with me. It’s essential to be prepared and have strength for what comes our way.
Exercise had never been a priority until I realized I needed to stay active to remain healthy. The more often I walked and at longer distances, the better I felt and looked. I saw value in my pursuits. Apparently, I had gained significant strength.
Preparing spiritually yields the same benefits. We move into a new life season, meet the unexpected, or face challenges. How can we prepare with strength?
We know who God is when we anchor ourselves in His Word. The Bible becomes a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. The pages give examples to learn from, give us direction, and offer hope. We learn about and trust His promises, and they securely anchor us.
I had prepared my muscles for an unexpected assault on my body. Their strength contributed to getting me on course for a healthy recovery. Spiritual preparation to deal with life’s interruptions and difficulties parallels this.
Decide to go deeper into God’s Word. He will strengthen you each time you read it. When the unexpected comes, you will be anchored and secure in His promises, encouragement, and presence. The more we know, the stronger we are.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and cocoparisienne.)
Marilyn Nutter loves finding treasures in unexpected places: gratitude in mulch, conversations with grandchildren, and secrets in an old trunk. Most of all, she has found the treasure of hope in loss. Unexpectedly widowed after forty-two years of marriage, she has found a brilliant treasure in Lamentations 3:22-23. After a career as a speech-language pathologist, Marilyn pursued writing and is the author of devotional books and a contributor to print, online publications, and compilations. She is co-author of the award-winning Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart. Her book Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living, and Change will be released in 2024. She serves as a facilitator for Grief Support for Spouses and on the women’s ministry team at her church. Her blog encourages others toward hopeful living by weaving hope and purpose in their ordinary and challenging days.