“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Isaiah 40:30-31
The eagle is the longest living bird of its kind, and can live for up to 70 years. However, in order to achieve this, at 40 years old it must make a serious and difficult decision. It is at this age that its talons start to become inflexible and tight and as a result, it cannot trap the prey that it needs to eat. Its long and pointy beak begins to curve, causing it to point toward its own chest. Its wings get old and heavy, and its feathers become thick. This makes flying too difficult. The eagle is left with only two alternatives: die or face the painful process of renewal that lasts about 150 days.
This process consists of flying to the highest place of the mountain and staying there in a nest close to a wall, where there is no need to fly. After it is in that place, the eagle starts to hit its beak against the wall in order to pull its beak out. Then, it must wait for a new beak to grow. It then uses the new beak to pull out each one of its talons. When the new talons start to grow, it can use these to begin to pluck out its old feathers and wait for new ones to grow. After five months of going through this process of renewal, it comes out of its nest to make its first flight and to live for another 30 years.
The truth is that no human being likes to go through times of testing. I know that you would like for life to be free of adversity, struggles and difficulties. However, during every challenge we face, we die to ourselves a little more., There is also a brokenness that comes, causing us to stop trusting in ourselves but instead, learn to lean on God.
As a family, in 1997 we went through one of the greatest trials of our lives. It happened at a red light when two motorcyclists shot at our car, where my wife, our four daughters and I had stopped. I can say that this extreme test changed each member of my family. The thing that changed the most for all of us was our mentality. This adverse circumstance drew us closer together as a family forming a new level of unity. It was also like a rebirth for every one of us. Just like the eagle, we were renewed especially in the way we spoke. We learned to speak the language of faith and optimism. He made us better at being able to receive divine blessings, and in bringing them from the spiritual realm to the natural realm. It renewed our strength, and our desire to take the Gospel to the four corners of the earth.
When you feel like you have reached the end, do not accept this feeling. It might be the beginning of a new phase in your life.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Before going up to heaven, Jesus told His disciples that they would receive power from on high (Acts 1:8). It was the baptism of the Holy Spirit that enabled the first Christian leaders to keep going and never give up despite the imprisonments, persecution, and rejection that they had to endure. This power is at your disposal. You must be filled with His presence so that you can see how difficult times allow you to gain a greater understanding of who God is and what His character is like.
TODAY’S DECLARATION
“The Holy Spirit imparts His power to me so that I do not get discouraged in times of adversity. Instead, His power is manifested in my life.”
Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume One.
TODAY’S BIBLE READING
Our Bible Reading Plan gives 25 daily readings per month. There is no scheduled reading for today. You can use this time to catch up on any readings you may have missed, or read through previous passages again.
