Proverbs 24:10 - Adversity

"If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small."

- Proverbs 24:10

       I ran across this verse today, and it really struck me. It's so simple. No cryptic meanings or deep theological understanding needed here. If you can't stand up when it gets rough, you don't have strength--you're weak. I know I'm stating the incredibly obvious, but strength is the antithesis of weakness. If one exists, the other doesn't.

       I have been facing spiritual adversity in temptation, worrying about the future, and not trusting God fully to provide a way for me to accomplish what He has for me to do in His Kingdom. I have not been a very good warrior, finding myself crouching and hiding behind my shield rather than utilizing every piece of the Armor of God. Now, it's not that I'm fainting so-to-speak, but my first reactions lately definitely haven't been that of a calm, collected, and heart-at-peace person...

       I don't love my major, and SO many of my friends love theirs. It's unsettling, like I feel I have to find something I love to do in life and get a major in it or else I'm in the wrong place. After meeting with a career councilor she was able to help clear my head and keep my goal the Bachelor's Degree and not necessarily what it's IN (Chemistry), especially since I plan on going for my Masters of Arts in Teaching anyway. But I've been quick to worry....and slow to trust that I'm following in God's footsteps and hearing correctly.

       I'm single. I'm not really very happy about that. But I know God has me here for specific reasons and I want to reap the fruit of the harvest in this valuable stage of life. Here I can learn to be a warrior and follow God's leading more directly and fine-tune my spiritual senses in order to become the best boyfriend, best friend, and best husband I can be to my some-day Love. (*sings* "Waitin' for my some-day giiirrrlll") Friends left and right (and up and down and inside out and backwards and...well you get the picture) are getting engaged or into serious relationships...a dream I had a while back explained it well. I saw two conveyer belts with girls on one and boys on another (friends and people I know). These were feeding onto one larger conveyer belt and they were getting paired up 2 by 2. But I, I wasn't even on the boy conveyer belt, I was sitting on the side, watching it all go by. That kinda sums up how I've felt at George Fox....

       Patience! Patience patience patience. I've found myself wanting to try to make something happen, but knowing that's hopeless and a stupid waste of time. Some day things will fall into place and a girl that blows my mind in every single way will become mine to love and protect and serve...and if I want to succeed there, I have to succeed HERE. Right now. Where I am. No matter where that is.

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       Adversity WILL come. This I know for sure. But I am not alone. And I will succeed.