What’s our strength today?

You know what phrase I actually really DISlike?

“Just do your best!”

I know that many people have pure intentions when they say it.

But I have a hard time with it because…

How am I supposed to know if I did my best?

There are some days where my daughter gets a whole lot of screen time or TV time.

And I think… was I really doing my best today?

Sometimes, I’m super sick, or totally overwhelmed, or utterly exhausted, and I think that I did my absolute best for keeping children alive that day.

But other days, I wonder.

Was that really my best, or am I giving myself an out?

It’s hard to know.

But I find comfort in the Lord’s beautiful advice to avoid laboring more than I have strength.

Because I’ve realized that my strength really is different each day.

Some days, I have strength to conquer the world and look good doing it.

And other days I have to muster the strength to keep two children alive, and I look like a hot mess doing it.

And here’s the real kicker –

Every single person has different “strength” each day, too!

Comparing my amount of strength to other people’s amount of strength is the fastest way to feel pretty terrible about myself.

So instead, I’ve started thinking… “Man, good for them. I’m so glad she had strength to organize that for her family today.”

And I recognize that people are probably thinking the same things about me when I have “extra strength” days.

Don’t run too fast. Don’t labor more than you have strength.

But find comfort in the fact that the craziness of mortal bodies and mortal trials give us different levels on different days.

And when we don’t know if we are “doing our best” or just slacking off, we can follow the Lord’s advice in the very next verse.

Pray. Pray always.

And that’s how I get the nudge to push myself a little more, or to take a breather.

Because the Lord knows my strength.

He isn’t judging me on a sum total of my actions each day.

He knows what I can do, what I can’t do, and what I need support on.

And He will gladly send His Spirit to give me this wisdom each and every day.

All I have to do is ask.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black