When Strong People Break
Strong people can…and do…break. Ask me how I know. If I had a dollar for each time I heard about my strength, I would be writing this from an overwater bungalow in the Maldives. I don’t disagree with the notion that I’m strong. I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I mean, intellectually I know that. But when pressed hard enough, I broke.
Can I be honest? There is a shame that came with breaking. I look at other Christians who have wrestled with hard blows and did not allow it to flatten them. They seemed to be doing just fine. They worshipped, sang, and gave God the glory while I was laying in the exact spot that I broke.
Of course, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. That is the problem with being an exceptionally strong person. You can function perfectly fine in the light of day. All appears well when it really is not. You go along to get along and then retreat into yourself when given the chance. You crawl into your shell until it is time to be “on” again.
With all that said, I was extremely thankful for Wednesday night service. The sermon centered around the prophet Elijah. If you don’t know his story, I can give you a Cliffs Notes version. Elijah was a big deal. Listen if you want to know a man that was on fire for God, he’s your guy. God used Elijah to perform miracles many times. I’m talking major miracles. And yet somehow, this mighty man of God found himself running in fear for his life. He sat under a juniper tree and said he wanted his life to be over. Elijah broke.
See…strong people can…and do…break. The great news is that his story doesn’t end at the breaking. And neither does yours…or mine. The minister laid out some practical steps to help you and me get it together. (Ya’ll know I love a good action plan!) Like to hear it? Here it goes:
- Communicate your feelings. They are valid. They matter. Elijah had no problem explaining his distress. Find a friend, prayer, partner, or therapist to talk things out with.
- Take time to chill. Rest is vital. Elijah was on fire for the Lord and running here, there, and everywhere. Just like many strong people today. Exhaustion will leave you irritated and unable to think straight. Elijah went straight to sleep.
- Watch what you consume. An angel woke Elijah from his sleep to give him something to eat and drink. We all need good nourishment. That includes the food that we put into our bodies as well as the interactions that we have with others. We will not be able to regenerate if we feed our bodies junk food and allow constant negative interactions with other. Let’s get rid of the toxic stuff.
- Honor the process of chronology. Not all healing is immediate. Some healing takes time. After eating, Elijah went back to sleep. The angel woke him a second time and had him eat and drink again. Take it from me. Therapy has been a looooong journey. It is work. The results are not immediate, but I am glad that I am sticking with it. The healing is coming.
- Expect God to step in. The angel ministered to Elijah and helped him on his journey, but it was ultimately God that stepped in to speak into Elijah’s life. Not with a shout or burning bush. But with a whisper. You know…that still small voice. Give it enough time and know that God will step in.
Well, I have held ya’ll long enough. The tips stopped because the preacher stopped. It was a great message, and he delivered it much better than I typed it. If you want to hear it for yourself, you can head over to St. Luke Baptist Church’s YouTube or Facebook page and look for the Wednesday night sermon. Or just take this Cliffs Notes and get to work. You can remain broken or be healed. The choice is yours. #wepreach
