My Stand Firm Moment

A s I stood there feeling defeated, as if the walls of Jericho had collapsed on top of me, I realized all I had to do was kneel. Just then, one cold hospital floor and toilet seat later, I remembered and embraced the familiar verse, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

In 2011, I almost lost my firstborn one-year-old son. It was then I realized how powerless I was. It was also then that I realized just how powerful God was. That was my standing firm story.

I remember standing inside the ICU restroom at Children’s Hospital, thinking about how I could personally take control of the situation. The fact that I could not do anything humbled me and made me fall on my knees, literally and figuratively. For the first time, I understood the beauty of fearing God. The word of the Lord has and continues to bring me knowledge, which has brought me fear and victory.

We can mistakenly feel empowered living our daily lives, planning and executing what seems right to us. This mindset can make us feel the sensation of unstoppable strength leading us inclined to gloat, boast, and most importantly, feel victorious.

Every day, I wake up with joy, knowing that I have been chosen to go out into the world and make disciples through His Word. As a classroom teacher, the task is not easy, especially when I feel the pressure of Satan near me, probing and tempting when I try to get myself and others closer and closer to the Word. This world has given me many pleasures and continues to bribe me with more. The most important thing to remember is that the real treasure is not of this world.

To maintain focus, I think about Solomon and his experiences. I remind myself of Ecclesiastes 12:1-14, particularly 12:8, when the teacher says, “all is vanity!” Just as Solomon learned how earthly riches mean nothing, I can find joy by reminding myself that the dust will return to the ground it came from, but my spirit will return to God. With this, I shout to all Stand Firm! Let His Word find you, embrace it as promptly as possible, and allow it to overtake you all. So you may also walk through this world banishing anxiety from your heart and casting off troubles from your entire body because through the Word of God, you have already won.