Tag: #strength

When Hurt Meets Prayer

Hurt has a way of making us pull back, to withdraw and to stop caring. But that’s not what Jesus did when he was criticised, betrayed and abandoned, even put to death. He taught us how to use prayer to become a bridge between hurt and healing.

Jesus Brought His Pain to the Father

In Gethsemane, Jesus knew betrayal and suffering were moments away. Instead of hiding His pain, He poured it out in prayer. He didn’t mask His anguish; He invited the Father into it. When hurt meets prayer, we learn to bring our wounds honestly to God, trusting Him with what feels too heavy to carry.

“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.” – Luke 22:42

Jesus Prayed for Those Who Hurt Him

On the cross, in the midst of unimaginable pain, Jesus prayed for the very people who caused His suffering. This is where prayer as a life habit changes everything — it keeps our hearts soft even when they want to harden. When we pray for those who hurt us, we allow God’s love to flow where ours feels impossible. It’s not by our strength but by God’s grace.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34

Prayer Restored His Strength to Love

Jesus’ consistent habit of prayer wasn’t just for moments of crisis; it was His lifestyle. That ongoing connection with the Father gave Him the strength to keep loving, even in the face of hurt. When prayer moves from a verb to a way of life, it becomes the steady rhythm that keeps our hearts alive. This is how our strength to love again is restored.

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: When hurt meets prayer, healing begins. Jesus shows us that prayer isn’t just what we do in pain; it’s the posture that allows God to restore, soften, and empower us to love again. Do you let your pain, resentment and bitterness harden your hearts, but let the amazing grace of God embrace your heart and make you whole.

The Strength Behind the Proverbs 31 Woman

The Proverbs 31 woman is often admired—but sometimes misunderstood. She’s not a checklist of perfection. She’s a portrait of a woman whose life flows from a deep fear of the Lord. Her strength isn’t in doing everything—but in doing what matters with wisdom, purpose, and honor.

Let’s dwell into the heart behind her strength through three timeless traits that still speak powerfully to us today.

💎 1. She Is Trustworthy and Honourable

The Proverbs 31 woman builds trust through her integrity, kindness, and reliability. She speaks and acts with honor, not for applause, but because she knows who she is in God. Her dignity is quiet but powerful—clothed in strength, not self-promotion.

“Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.” — Proverbs 31:11

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” — Proverbs 31:25

🛠️ 2. She Is Diligent and Wise in Her Work

She doesn’t hustle to impress, but she is intentional. She works with purpose, stewarding what’s in her hands. Whether in the home, business, or ministry, her wisdom guides her productivity. Her diligence is an expression of love and responsibility—not striving.

“She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” — Proverbs 31:17

“She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” — Proverbs 31:27

🙏 3. She Fears the Lord Above All

At the core of her life is reverence for God. She isn’t defined by outward beauty or temporary success, but by her relationship with Him. Her life is an overflow of abiding in God—this is what makes her truly praiseworthy.

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” — Proverbs 31:30

💌 Invitation:

This is your invitation to you today: aspire to become a Proverbs 31 woman. It will take time. You can begin today—by anchoring your life in the fear of the Lord, and letting everything else flow from there.

You already have what it takes—because He is your strength.

The Courage to Pause: Find Strength in Stillness

Courage is usually associated with doing big bold things. Today, I want to talk about the Courage to PAUSE – to stop where we are or what we are doing – and to reflect.

Why is it good to sometimes pause?

  1. Pause to Reflect on God’s Purpose
    In our bid to pursue our dream, we sometimes lose our way. It is always good to pause along the way, to realign with God’s purpose and to review our progress to see if we are still on the right path. It is easy to detour or get distracted or get sidetracked from God’s purpose. Hitting pause gives us a chance to review and realign our plans with God’s purpose. It is in the stillness that you can hear the soft whisper of God’s voice.
    “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
  2. The Strength to Wait in Faith
    Sometimes we become impatient with our progress and feel we can’t afford to wait, especially when we are waiting on God’s timing. Waiting on God is His way of strengthening our faith – as we trust Him in the waiting. Rest assured, He is working behind the scene to prepare us. Just like brewing soup takes time to extract its flavours, growing in maturity takes time and patience.
    “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)
  3. Rest as a Source of Courage
    God sometimes call us to rest, but we are reluctant to do so. We feel guilty when we rest, so we continue to push ourselves. However, rest is necessary to restore our strength and creativity. Rest gives us a way to step back so that we can see that we are moving in the right direction. Rest gives us a moment to review our journey and see the progress we have made. Rest gives us the courage to reflect and make bold decisions intentionally.
    “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

This is my invitation to you today: have the courage to pause and find the strength in your stillness.

Why Defying Limits Starts with Consistently Showing Up for Yourself

Why does it seem that some people can achieve their goals and others would give up too soon? How does some people overcome insurmountable obstacles and others would not even start anything? What is holding us back?

As children, we believe we can do anything. As we grow up, we are fed into the lies of “cannot” and “don’t” and “no”. We inherit our limiting beliefs from our families, friends and society.

I believe one of the ways of defying our limiting beliefs is by consistently showing up for ourself. This is one of my greatest challenge. I find that I have a tendency to go all out to help someone, but usually fall short when it comes to – me.

Hence, God is showing me its importance:

  1. Consistency Builds Strength – it is through consistently showing up for ourselves that we slowly build resilience and inner strength to overcome our limiting beliefs. It is like how we need regular exercise to build up strong muscles and improve fitness.

    ”Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

  2. Consistency Overcomes Fear – we commit to daily actions to overcome our fear, hesitation and procrastination, by trusting that God goes before us to show us the path and He stays closely with us in our journey.

    “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

  3. Consistency Honours God’s Purpose – we honour God by showing up for His purpose for our life. When God called Gideon, he was reluctant as he felt unworthy and unqualified, being the weakest in his family and his family being the weakest tribe in Israel. God gave Gideon a new identity, as a “mighty warrior”. Then God sent him to show up with His strength to overcome their enemy.

    ”The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?'”

This is my invitation to you today: trust God daily to help you to overcome your limiting beliefs and to show up consistently.