Feeling discouraged

Day 11: Strength

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

Once again, this verse couldn't be more timely...at least for me. I'm running on fumes. And when I get that way, it's hard for me not to be discouraged.

When I'm tired, I tend to get overwhelmed by the clutter around me. I address my children with a constant edge to my voice. I have to break up more fights than usual. In short, my exhaustion spews into every. single. area. of my life.

I fear my bad mood will have a lasting effect on my children.

But God says, "There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. "

I'm discouraged because I can't seem to get ahead with anything.

But God says, "Don’t panic. I’m with you."

I find myself in overwhelmed tears.

But God says, "I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. 

I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you."

(Italics from The Message)

May I hold tight to the promise of strength today.

* Tomorrow's promise: Forgiveness - I John 1:9
* The inspiration behind this series comes from a list of 25 promises of God from a blog post over at Our Out-of-Sync-Life