This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses,
for he faced all of the same testings we do,
yet he did not sin.
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.
There we will receive his mercy,
and we will find grace
HEBREWS 4:15-16 (NLT)

I have always had high expectations of myself – never wanting to fail – always wanting to be strong – never weak – earning my success – in the game of baseball and in my everyday life.

All that changed when cancer entered my life. Oh I was strong and performed well at the beginning of my journey of suffering. But as the journey took me into the wilderness and the days became long and endless, I experienced a weakness of my being that I had never felt before.

I had a fear of death – I doubted – then shame for my lack of faith. I experienced frustration over my weakness and my failure to overcome. This resulted in anger – rage filled fits – then extreme guilt over my sin. Like Adam in the Garden of Eden, my inclination was to run from God and hide. BUT … running and hiding from God was not the answer. In order to endure I needed to run to Him and receive His grace even though I felt I had not earned it and therefore I did not deserve it.

But God loves who we really are – whether we like it or not.
God calls us, as He did Adam, to come out of hiding.
“Come to me now,” Jesus says.
“Acknowledge and accept who I want to be for you:
a Savior of boundless compassion,
infinite patience, unbearable forgiveness,
and love that keeps no score of wrongs.
Quit projecting onto me your own feelings about yourself.
At this moment your life is a bruised reed and I will not crush it,
a smoldering wick and I will not quench it.
You are in a safe place.
BRENNAN MANNING (ABBA’S CHILD)

God’s grace is an incredible source of fuel for enduring the journey. It encourages us to keep going even when we fall because we know He understands and knows our weaknesses yet He still loves us. This was a huge source of fuel for me to continue taking steps forward on my journey with Him knowing that …

“If we have only the will to walk, then God is pleased with my stumbles.” CS LEWIS

Sometimes we are so sick and tired of stumbling that we don’t want to walk anymore. What a blessing it is to know that all we need to have is the will to walk with Him, and God is pleased with us – even when we stumble. That’s an incredible expression of grace. That is a tremendous motivation to keep stepping forward and endure the journey!

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky

Doubt, Fear, Relationships, Words of Endurance

Endurance for the Journey Next Steps: Receive Support From Others

By connie on

August 20, 2014

- Doubt, Fear, Relationships, Words of Endurance

Receive Support From Others

It’s better to have a partner than go it alone.
Share the work, share the wealth.
And if one falls down, the other helps,
But if there’s no one to help, tough! ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10 (THE MESSAGE)

One of the hardest things for me along my journey was to receive help from others. I wanted to endure on my own – not rely on anyone but myself. Unfortunately, the journey becomes extremely lonely and difficult when we try to go it alone.

God said, “It’s not good for the Man to be alone …” GENESIS 2:18 (THE MESSAGE)

Being an amputee I need a lot of physical support. Initially I tried to do everything on my own – dress myself – put my luggage in the overhead bin – hang our Christmas lights. Pride got in the way. I did not want to humble myself and ask for help so I would struggle through the task. Eventually I would become frustrated and then angry. It was not a pretty picture.

I have learned through the years though that I do need physical help – though humbling it sure makes life a lot easier. Jan now tucks in my pockets, puts my belt through the loops I cannot reach and ties my shoes. When someone offers to put my luggage in the overhead bin – I gladly accept his or her help. As for the Christmas lights – I no longer hang them!

Along the journey I also have needed emotional support. I needed the listening ear and understanding heart of a trusted family member or friend. I needed a ‘safe person’ to whom I could open my heart – share my fears and doubts – cry with – and not be judged.

Fortunately for me I found that ‘safe person’ in Jan. She has listened to me, cried for me when I could not, just held me when there were no words and loved me when I did not deserve it. But at the same time, I can’t tell you how many times she has given me a swift kick that has challenged me to move forward again.

It is personal interaction such as this – the gentle hug and the swift kick – that helped me take those next steps forward. It can come only from someone tangible – someone you can touch, feel, see and trust. When someone reaches out to me I experience the awesome gift of God’s expression of love towards me.

“Modern research echoes
what the Bible has said for centuries:
people who have intimate connections
in which they are vulnerable and honest
generally live better, function at higher levels,
and heal faster than those
who are isolated or distant from others.
We all need the fuel of love and relationship
to continue growing and healing.”
Dr. John Townsend

When I experienced the dark night of the soul I desperately needed spiritual support. During that time I had no desire to even pick up the Bible to read. That was when Jan would step up and offer to read to me – to encourage me. She became my Bible. I was humbled.

The majority of that time I didn’t feel like praying but that was when my closest friends would come alongside and pray for me. In my darkest moments I often would receive a call or a card from a friend or a group from church saying that they were praying for me. I was so grateful that they stood in the gap for me – this encouraged me to take steps forward.

Let’s see how inventive we can be
in encouraging love and helping out,
not avoiding worshiping together as some do
but spurring each other on,
especially as we see the big Day approaching.
HEBREWS 10:25 (THE MESSAGE)

Remember my friends while there are seasons in our lives for giving – there are also seasons for receiving. As humbling as it may be, learning to receive physical, emotional and spiritual help will lighten your burden and help you to endure the journey.

“Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life.
Many might have failed
beneath the bitterness of their trial
had they not found a friend.”
CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky

Anger, Cancer, Depression, Fear, Words of Endurance

Truth: Our Window To A New Perspective

By Nathan Solla on

March 26, 2014

- Anger, Cancer, Depression, Fear, Words of Endurance

“… And you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.”
JOHN 8:32 (NLT)

Janette and Bill needed a fresh start so the chance to move out of state for a new job opportunity looked like a divine gift. But life after the move was complicated. Bill’s new job didn’t turn out to be what he was promised. Janette was still feeling the pain of wounding words from her previous employer, which made it difficult to handle the stress of her new job. Their children were feeling lonely and insecure as they adjusted to new schools and tried to find new friends. Then just when Janette didn’t think she could handle one more challenge – Bill was diagnosed with an aggressive form of colon cancer.

So far from the only home and support system they had ever known, they faced cancer surgery, a colostomy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, more surgery and a host of complications and unexpected bills. Janette shifted into ‘survival mode’ and pushed herself to get through each day but the prolonged stress took its toll. She began to experience anxiety attacks – her heart would beat so fast she thought she would die. She was so exhausted she could barely get out of bed in the morning. Fatigue, crying spells, hopelessness, anger, fear and isolation became part of her daily life.

What made things worse was that Janette was dreadfully afraid that she and Bill had done something to cause the difficulties they faced. She had been taught that suffering was almost always caused by personal wrongdoing or a lack of faith. So she believed that she and her husband were somehow responsible for what was happening to their family. Yet she had no idea where they had gone wrong and she couldn’t figure out what horrible sin deserved so much suffering.

No wonder Janette’s perspective on life was shattering. Her emotional health, her views of God and her perspective on suffering were all crumbling under the stress of circumstances and the burden of a perspective that wasn’t true. Although she sensed that she wasn’t seeing things clearly, she was afraid to ask for help. What if her newly made friends at church thought the whole ordeal was due to her personal sin or spiritual weakness too? Where would she find help then?

Fortunately, Janette’s new friends refused to stand by and do nothing. They knew she was hurting and encouraged her to participate in a faith based support group at church. There she began to more closely examine what the Bible taught about suffering.

Then a widowed friend shared about how she struggled with depression following her husband’s death. Her honesty about a personal struggle surprised Janette. Having come from a setting where exposing weakness would result in harsh judgment, her friend’s vulnerability opened Janette’s eyes to the possibility of looking at what was really happening in her own life.

Prompted by another friend, Janette began to list the hardships and losses she had recently endured instead of trying to ignore them. As she did, she realized why she felt overwhelmed, sad and full of anxiety. Who wouldn’t be? The pain she felt wasn’t because of weakness. It was understandable in light of the traumatic losses she had experienced.

Once she faced the truth of those losses, Janette began to grieve. It wasn’t an easy or pleasant process. It was especially heartbreaking for her to realize she no longer thought of God as being wise, loving and caring. But as painful as it was to confront those losses and to uncover the perspective that made them nearly unbearable, Janette is glad she did.

Today as a result of her Bible study and the support of caring friends she has a new perspective. She knows that while some suffering may come as a consequence of our actions of our actions, suffering also comes as part of life. Even more important, she knows that from God’s perspective suffering is an opportunity to draw close to him and she has rediscovered a closer, more personal relationship with her wise and loving God.

As Janette learned we rarely give our perspectives a second thought when life is going well. But when our perspectives shatter and fail us, it is essential to take a close look at what the truth really is so that we can make adjustments in our thinking. Sometimes when our perspective shatters we can finally see the truth clearly and that truth will set us free!

I always try to remind people that as painful as it may be,
truth is always your friend.
No matter how difficult it is to swallow, truth is reality
And that is where ultimate safety, growth and God are.
We need to know the truth.
Sometimes the truth leads us to what is hurting us …
Sometimes it leads us to what we need to change.
At other times it leads us to
what we need to do next in a relationship.
At still other times it leads us to
what our weaknesses or limitations are,
such as what we are not ready to deal with.
But whatever the truth is, it is our friend.
HENRY CLOUD & JOHN TOWNSEND
HOW PEOPLE GROW

On the Journey with You,
Dave and Jan Dravecky

Fear, Hope, Perspectives, Words of Endurance

The Power of Attitude

By Nathan Solla on

October 30, 2013

- Fear, Hope, Perspectives, Words of Endurance

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
WINSTON CHURCHILL

It is impressive the power our attitudes have on our life experiences and outcomes. Yet many of us don’t even realize the power our attitudes – positive or negative – wield.

Consider the response leadership expert John Maxwell received when he asked an audience to name what most determines happiness, acceptance, peace, and success. The audience responded – job – education – money – time. Almost as an afterthought, someone said “attitude.” Maxwell responded …

“… attitude is the primary force that will determine
whether we will succeed or fail.”

Attitudes have been influencing people’s lives and future opportunities for thousands of years. King Solomon, for example, was the richest and wisest man who ever lived but he definitely had attitude problems. His attitude put a sour taste on the best life had to offer:

Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself.
I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing.
I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task—
my reward to myself for a hard day’s work!
Then I took a good look at everything I’d done,
looked at all the sweat and hard work.
But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke.
Smoke and spitting into the wind.
There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.
ECCLESIASTES 2:10-11 (THE MESSAGE)

King Solomon’s attitude apparently did not improve as time went on. Notice what happened to the nation of Israel as a result of Solomon’s arrogant attitude:

So the Lord said to Solomon,
“Since this is your attitude and
you have not kept my covenant and my decrees
which I commanded you,
I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you
And give it to one of your subordinates.”
1 KINGS 11:11

Our attitudes not only affect us – they affect others as well. As John Maxwell points out …

“There’s only one thing more contagious
than a good attitude – a bad attitude.
A negative attitude hurts
rather than helps the person who has it.
And it also hurts the people around him.”

If you want to know how true Maxwell’s statement is – just ask Moses. When he sent the twelve spies into the Promised Land ten of them said …

“We can’t attack those people; they’re stronger than we are”
NUMBERS 13:31

The fearful, faithless attitude of ten men quickly spread to the entire nation of Israel. By nightfall – two to three million people were wailing and grumbling! That is attitude power out of control! In the end, the nation of Israel remained in the wilderness and for decades forfeited the hope and opportunity of the Promised Land.

Attitudes may seem insignificant and cause little consequence but truth be told attitude can be life changing – for better or for worse – our choice. No wonder the Scriptures tell us to …

Be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind
having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.
EPHESIANS 4:23 (AMP)

On the Journey with You,
Dave Dravecky

Fear, Healing, Pain, Walking Weak & Wounded, Words of Endurance

Adversity Introduces Us to Ourselves

By Nathan Solla on

June 5, 2012

- Fear, Healing, Pain, Walking Weak & Wounded, Words of Endurance

It is amazing how strong we can become
when we begin to realize what weaklings we are.
It is in weakness that we can admit our mistakes and correct ourselves by confessing them.
It is in weakness that our minds are open to enlightenment from others.
It is in weakness that we are authoritative in nothing and
say the most clear-cut things with simplicity and consideration for others.
FRANCOIS FENELON

We each have an image of who we want to be. We can paint a pretty rosy picture of what we want people to see and we may be able to wear our masks and fool others as to who we really are quite successfully through life. But when adversity and suffering come along – the image changes. Like nothing else can, suffering exposes who we truly are. It exposes our weaknesses, spotlights our failures and bares our wounds.

No matter how flawless a picture of ourselves we have created, the truth is, we know there is another not-quite-so-nice person behind our masks. Whether we like it or not, we are weak people. There are areas of life that are hard for us. We face situations we fear we can’t handle -we respond in ways we wish we didn’t – we protect areas of woundedness. And because it is painful to face the real person behind the masks – most of us won’t do it until adversity or suffering strips away the image and forces us to be honest about who we are.

Without a doubt, adversity and suffering played a role in causing me to look at the image I had built of myself. When I first began pitching in the major leagues – it was tough. I had painted a picture of Dave Dravecky as the tough guy who could deal with any amount of pressure and pitch under any circumstances. The truth was those first days were downright awful. I did not pitch well and I was scared to death that I would not be able to cut it. I feared failure.

When I battled cancer, I was again forced to look honestly at the person behind the image. I was a Christian – I wanted to be good to others – I wanted to be kind – selfless instead of selfish. But what I saw of myself during that time of suffering was not good or kind or selfless. No, instead I was angry and I lashed out at those I loved most exposing the real me. I felt shame and I understood what the Apostle Paul meant when he said …

I do not understand what I do.
For what I want to do I do not do,
but what I hate I do.
ROMANS 7:15

I eventually realized that much of my anger was caused by fear. I was sure of my eternal destiny but I was afraid of my own mortality. Like so many other cancer patients I did not want to deal with that fear face to face. So I tried to hide it – escape it by putting on my tough-guy mask. I was not going to let my weakness show.

But the demons of fear, weakness, failure and woundedness don’t go away. They merely fester deep inside. We may think we escape them for a time but during our quiet alone moments they are right there – consuming us – paralyzing us. Then we have to muster up the energy to go back into the real world with our masks back on. But it is too exhausting to do that indefinitely.

I share about these two experiences from my life because in both cases I was pushed to face who I truly was and not only was it scary but I did not like what I felt or saw. I could not tell anybody what I was feeling because I was afraid to expose the real me. What I have learned since is that sooner or later whether we face cancer or any kind of adversity – every one of us has to face our weaknesses – we have to be real and honest about who we truly are.

We can try out best to hide who we truly are – we can continue to wear our masks but there is a better way to deal with our weaknesses, failures and wounds. That better way is to face honestly who we are and to share that truth with God and others we can trust. It begins when we accept the truth and admit that we are weak when all along we thought we were strong. We know this because the Lord says …

“My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

Then we along with the Apostle Paul can honestly say …

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake,
I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10

And we can say this because …
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
HEBREWS 4:15-16

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky

Fear, Grace, The Gift of Grace, Words of Endurance

Extending God’s Grace

By connie on

April 17, 2012

- Fear, Grace, The Gift of Grace, Words of Endurance

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,
as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
1 PETER 4:10

During our time through the valley of suffering, both Dave and I were in great need of God’s Grace and the extension of His Grace to one another. Both of us exposed our weaknesses like never before. For me it was fear and depression – for Dave it was anger.

During that season Dave aimed his anger and verbal abuse at our children and me. It was like walking on eggshells in our house. No one wanted to upset the apple cart or cross Dave in the wrong way because we knew what the result would be – an explosion of anger and rage.

Looking back I should have thought that this was not fair. Here I was – selflessly taking care of him – loving him through his pain and yet he was taking his pain out on me – I did not deserve it. But even though I hated his behavior my response was not anger at him – I felt sorry for him.

Many have asked me how I could show such compassion after the way he was treating me but the reason was that I knew his heart. I knew that he did not want to respond in that way but he could not control it. After each explosion he always expressed so much remorse.

I knew that at the root of Dave’s anger was fear, frustration and hurt. I knew that he was unable to cry to express those emotions. The only way for him to express his unrelenting pain was anger.

I also knew that I was a child of God who sins– an undeserving recipient of God’s Grace – for which I was eternally thankful. Because I knew how much I have been forgiven and I was aware of how God’s Grace had been extended to me – it was not difficult for me to extend that same grace to Dave.

Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.
EPHESIANS 4:32

We continue to be “faithful stewards of God’s grace” through the ministry of Endurance to those who are in the midst of suffering. At Endurance we know that we all have weaknesses and those weaknesses are magnified and exposed during seasons of suffering – a needed time for God’s Grace. We extend His Grace to you.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;
my only aim is to finish the race
and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—
the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
ACTS 20:24

God appoints our graces to be nurses to other men’s weaknesses.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

Fear, Grace, Healing, The Gift of Grace, Words of Endurance

Receiving God’s Grace in My Weakness

By Nathan Solla on

April 16, 2012

- Fear, Grace, Healing, The Gift of Grace, Words of Endurance

“My grace is all you need.
My power works best in weakness.”
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 (NLT)

During our time of suffering many of my fleshly weaknesses and sins were exposed. After two and a half years of Godly counseling & therapy though I thought that I had come out on the other side of that valley totally renewed – free from my sins and weaknesses. NOT!!!!!!! (Oh God forgive me for my youth and naivety!)

Now as I have grown older I am more aware of my weaknesses and the sin that still exists within me. This has caused me much frustration and shame. Oh, how I identify with the Apostle Paul when he said …

I want to do what is good, but I don’t.
I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong;
it is sin living in me that does it.
I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right,
I inevitably do what is wrong.
I love God’s law with all my heart.
But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind.
This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
Oh, what a miserable person I am!
ROMANS 7:19-24 (NLT)

What a dilemma! Now I knew that I needed to repent of my sin but I always believed that true repentance was admitting my sin and then consciously making a 180-degree turn away from that sin. I have sincerely done this a thousand times but oh the guilt that I experienced every time I would fall again. I felt hopeless because I was unable to fix myself – instead of turning to God I turned away from God in shame. But I have since come to agree with the Apostle Paul when he concluded …

Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
ROMANS 7:24-25 (NLT)

Amen!!! Thank you Jesus – the answer is You! But I still wanted to know how to resolve my sin dilemma.

Well, I have recently learned that true repentance is going before God – admitting my sin, weaknesses and my inability to resolve them in my own power. Instead of turning away from God – I turn to Him because I know that the only resolution to sin will come through His grace, His power and His Strength within me. I trust the words of Paul …

And I am certain that God,
who began the good work within you,
will continue his work until it is finally finished
on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
PHILIPPIANS 1:6 (NLT)

I no longer am frustrated by my weakness but I humbly turn them over to God, receive His Grace and trust Him to continue the good work within me

I love it when the Scripture validates my own personal experience. The Apostle Paul was one of the most gifted and influential Christians in recorded history. God used him to firmly establish and expand the early church. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, he penned most of the New Testament Epistles. He is regarded by most scholars as one of the strongest examples of a true Christian. Yet Paul had a major weakness.

Paul was given a “thorn” in his flesh. We do not know if this was a physical or an emotional weakness but we do know that he was “tormented” by the “thorn”. He pleaded three times for the “Lord to take it away from me.”

But God’s response was no. God allowed Paul’s torment, his weakness to, remain. God knew that Paul’s weakness kept him dependent upon Him for strength and grace. God also knew that Paul’s weakness spared him from self-dependence and pride because Paul knew how much he needed God’s Grace.

It is no different for us. We need God’s grace. No matter how disappointed we may be in our failures and weaknesses, God is gracious and generous in dispensing His grace to us. Our human frailty is not an affront to Him – “He remembers that we are dust.” The more we lack, the more His grace will fill us.

When we turn to Him, admit our weaknesses and limitations to God, we take the first step toward receiving His all-sufficient grace. No wonder Paul found delight in his weaknesses and difficulties. He knew what when he was weak; God’s grace would make him even stronger. I am so glad to proclaim as Paul did …

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ can work through me.
That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses,
and in the insults, hardships, persecutions,
and troubles that I suffer for Christ.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10 (NLT)

On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky

Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Healing, Trust, Words of Endurance

Focus on Jesus

By connie on

February 29, 2012

- Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Healing, Trust, Words of Endurance

And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,
the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Because of the joy awaiting him,
he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people
then you won’t become weary and give up.
HEBREWS 12:1-3 (NLT)

No runner can finish a marathon without a clear focus. Whether we are enduring a race or the challenge of a lifetime, a clear focus helps carry us through the pain and distractions that can overwhelm us.

The importance of focusing on a goal couldn’t have been clearer for me than when I was making my baseball comeback. I would never have stuck with my grueling rehab regimen without a definite goal in mind – it was much too hard – I would have given up. BUT I was fixed on giving it my best to return to the major leagues.

Every weight that I lifted, every muscle that I stretched, every hour that I spent in the gym was focused on the day when I’d once more put on my uniform, trot out to the mound and throw my first pitch toward home plate.

Much more important though– a clear focus helps us endure in our spiritual life as well. Through the challenges I faced, I learned that it is impossible to stick with our spiritual regimen unless we keep the end goal in full view. Every trial that we face, every burden that we shoulder, every agony that we suffer must be borne with our everlasting destiny in mind.

That destiny is to be with Jesus – face-to-face, heart to heart with Him. That is why Scripture tells us to “keep our eyes” on Him. When Jesus is clearly in focus, we can be empowered to endure whatever trials come our way and not be afraid.

So we can say with confidence,
“The LORD is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
HEBREWS 13:6 (NLT)

When I consider how Jesus endured His trial, I am better able to face mine. Knowing what Jesus endured and how He endured it comforts me. Jesus doesn’t just sympathize with my pain – he understands it because He has endured it as well.

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses,
for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
HEBREWS 4:15 (NLT)

When I focus on Jesus He empowers me to live out my faith. When I can’t go on, when I can’t possibly endure one more trial, setback or hardship, I can ask God to fill me with His strength. I can ask Him to empower me with His Divine energy so that I can face whatever lies ahead.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
HEBREWS 4:16

When I keep my eyes on Jesus, I am never alone. The Spirit of God lives within me. God knows my every thought, ache and tear – every single one of them! I may have to endure hardship; in fact the Bible assures me that I will. But because I am a child of God, I will never have to endure hardship alone.
God has said,

“I will never leave you;
I will never abandon you.”
HEBREWS 13:5 (NCV)

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky

Doubt, Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Grace, Healing, Hope, Lighten Your Load, Words of Endurance

Lighten Your Load: Learn the Secret of Contentment

By Nathan Solla on

January 24, 2012

- Doubt, Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Grace, Healing, Hope, Lighten Your Load, Words of Endurance

I am not saying this because I am in need,
for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13

As a Christian athlete, whenever I was being tested physically, my mantra was always –

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
PHILIPPIANS 4:13

When I was stricken with cancer, I would recite this same verse over and over reminding myself that I, too, could overcome this new obstacle. But after several surgeries and radiation, I was seriously weakened and I began to doubt whether I had the strength to ever overcome this one. I was frustrated with my own weakness and inability to overcome.

A friend of mine was aware of my weakened and discouraged state, and decided that I could use some encouragement. He asked his friend, Chuck Swindoll, a well-known pastor and author, to give me a call and encourage me. Since I had listened to Chuck on the radio for years and admired him greatly, I was thrilled when I answered the phone and realized it was he who was calling me.

Chuck told me that he wanted to call and encourage me with a vignette that he was writing on Philippians 4:11-13. I remember immediately popping up and saying proudly to him that Philippians 4:13 was one of my favorite life verses.

He responded gently back to me and said, “Yes, Dave that is a powerful verse but your emphasis should not be on verse 13 alone but also on verses 11 and 12 that proceed that verse.”

He then shared that Paul stated that he had learned the secret of contentment no matter what his circumstances. He pointed out that Paul was under house arrest at the time. He had experienced poverty and prosperity, being filled and going hungry, having abundance and suffering need – yet in all circumstances he experienced contentment.

Chuck then shared “Contentment is possible no matter how dire your circumstances. The secret to Paul’s contentment was knowing Christ’s strength was perfected in his weakness.” He then quoted 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 where Paul wrote:

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake,
I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10

When I considered that Christ’s strength was perfected in my weakness – my own inability to overcome – I experienced contentment because I knew I could trust Him no matter how dire my circumstances – no matter how weak I am.

What is the secret of contentment even through the trials of life? Focus on Jesus not your circumstances.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
PSALM 73:26

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky

Anger, Doubt, Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Grace, Love, Next Steps, Perseverance, Words of Endurance

Next Steps: Receive God’s Grace

By connie on

January 9, 2012

- Anger, Doubt, Endurance for the Journey, Fear, Grace, Love, Next Steps, Perseverance, Words of Endurance

I have always had high expectations of myself – never wanting to fail – always wanting to be strong – never weak – earning my success in the game of baseball and in my everyday life.

All that changed when cancer entered my life. Oh, I was strong and performed well at the beginning of my journey of suffering. But as the journey took me into the wilderness and the days became long and endless, I experienced a weakness of my being that I had never felt before.

I had a fear of death – I doubted – then felt shame for my lack of faith. I experienced frustration over my weakness and my failure to overcome. This resulted in anger – rage-filled fits – then extreme guilt over my sin. Like Adam in the Garden of Eden, my inclination was to run from God and hide.

BUT … running and hiding from God was not the answer– in order to endure, I needed to run to Him and receive His grace even though I felt I had not earned or deserved it.

But God loves who we really are – whether we like it or not.
God calls us, as He did Adam, to come out of hiding.
“Come to me now,” Jesus says.
“Acknowledge and accept who I want to be for you:
a Savior of boundless compassion, infinite patience,
unbearable forgiveness, and love that keeps no score of wrongs.
Quit projecting onto me your own feelings about yourself.
At this moment your life is a bruised reed and I will not crush it,
a smoldering wick and I will not quench it.
You are in a safe place.
BRENNAN MANNING (ABBA’S CHILD)

God’s grace is an incredible source of fuel for endurance. It encourages us to keep going even when we stumble because we know He understands and knows our weaknesses – yet He still loves us. HE LOVES US EVEN ON OUR WORST DAY!!! This was a huge source of fuel for me to continue walking on my journey with Him knowing …

“If we have only the will to walk, then God is pleased with my stumbles.”
CS LEWIS

Sometimes we are so sick and tired of stumbling that we don’t want to walk anymore. What a blessing it is to realize that all we need to have is the will to walk with Him, and God is pleased with us – even when we stumble. That’s an incredible expression of grace. That is a tremendous motivation to endure.

The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
PSALM 37:23-24

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky

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