When I was 16 (maybe 15) I did my first summer of full-time ministry. In my opinion, half of the team I was on should not have been in ministry at all, as they seemed to do it out of boredom and seeking fun rather than serving God. Two guys in particular drove me nuts. They were very stereotypical male teenagers, and I emphatically was not one. I was miserable most of the time that summer.
I mentioned this in a letter to one of my friends and a mutual acquaintance (who I really wish I had gotten to know better when we were in high school) wrote me one of the most valuable letters I have ever received. It was simple, but included II Timothy 4:16-17. I wasn't sure at the time what struck me so much about those words, but they carried me through the rest of the summer.
Looking back, with 23 years of perspective, I can now see it was the emphasis on the Lord strengthening me. I'm not very strong. I never have been, either physically or emotionally. I am very fearful. My dream life is that of a hermit, where I can just be alone and do the things I love, without having to face the odd turmoil that comes from being around people. But I don't get to live that life. I need to get strength from somewhere. There doesn't seem to be a better source of strength than the Lord.
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