Living Valiantly

 

Valient is an interesting word, and we don't use it too much anymore. I found it when I took a deeper dive into a scripture I was reading. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. (NLT, 1997) It's a familiar scripture, but I pulled out the Strong's app and looked at the Hebrew words in the verse. "Strengthen" was the one word I focused on, and it was interesting to say the least.

It is a primary root (H2388) and has a long list of ways it could have been translated, and they are all really good. But the next to last phrase is what caught my attention. "Take (hold), be (urgent), behave self (valiantly) - withstand. Valiantly stood out from all the other terms, and I had to look it up to make sure I had the proper meaning. It basically means to be courageous and determined in the face of struggles or difficulties. Hm... pretty much describes the caregivers I know!

As caregivers, we get up every morning and reinvent ourselves. We all have different methods of encouraging ourselves. Self talk. Morning devotions. Encouraging words. Inspiring quotes. A second, or third cup of coffee to get going... we do whatever works (or might work) to keep us going. 

Right here in the middle of our struggles and difficulties, doing things that can sap the strength right out of us - we keep doing. We continue providing care for our loved ones and we keep fighting through to take hold of God's heart! Caregivers live valiantly every single day.

My mind went to Judges 6 when the angel showed up to Gideon and called him a "valiant warrior." He may not have looked like one to everyone else. But there he was alone thrashing the wheat while hiding from the enemies who kept plundering their fields and stealing their sustenance. Most people don't see a dude hiding at night as very valiant, but I do. He was determined to NOT let the enemy win and took actions accordingly. He was telling them - you ain't getting my wheat tonight! 

Was Gideon afraid? I do not know. Was Gideon determined? I'm pretty sure he was. Was he courageous in the face of adversity? Absolutely. He was not a wimp - God even called him valiant. I think God says that about caregivers too - here we are in one of the most difficult situations life can throw at us - but we are determined to take hold of God's heart. That's living valiantly.

Today, I will try to take God's view of my situation. When I feel tired and worn out - I'll remind myself that He sees me as a valiant warrior who refuses to give up or give in. When I'm frustrated, I'll remind myself that He sees determination. With His help, I will figure out how to navigate one more day of caregiving. Will you join me?

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New Release! Peace Out!

I just released the 31-day devotional Peace Out! It's in the Bible. Each day's scripture has something to do with peace - and how we can continue to enjoy it and walk in it - no matter what! It's available on Kindle and print in my Amazon bookstore.