When Strength Fades and Outcomes Disappoint: Learning to Lean on The Healer

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Do not become intoxicated by professional success, nor let setbacks drain you emotionally. Strive for balance, even though it is difficult to achieve. Do your best not to tie your actions or emotional well-being solely to outcomes. Integrity and commitment to your work matter far more than perfect results. Guard yourself against the lure of ambition, and resist the despair that insists your mistakes define you. On days when you are unwell or weighed down by illness—whether a fever, respiratory trouble, or simply feeling overwhelmed by the demands of work—remember: you are human and prone to fallibility. When you feel ill-equipped for your responsibilities, take a moment to reflect. If you feel too weak to continue, remember that it is when God often provides strength in unexpected ways, as you rely upon Him.

Recall that those who depended most upon God wrote, meditated, and prayed for guidance. They rarely relied on the strength of others, but leaned on the power of the Almighty Healer. When you consider all that you receive from hard work, remember that good comes with bad, joy with sadness, victory with loss. These experiences are meant to mold your character, teaching you to rely less on yourself and more on God. At times, it may feel as if the words from the great teacher are real to you: “All things are wearisome; more than one can say.” Especially in moments when words fail to soothe, be gentle with yourself; take the sorrow out of your mind, leave the pain of your muscles, bones, and skin behind, because you are getting older now, and those hindrances do not support you.

Hold onto this guiding thought during your studies and pursuits, especially when your mind races, your heart pounds, and your hands and feet fidget. No matter how much you strive to understand everything happening under the sun, or in the shadows of the moon and stars, some things will always remain beyond your sight. Whatever you set out to do, give it your best—allow yourself to strive for excellence, yet accept that your best will be imperfect. In the race of life, business, society, and community, the strongest do not always prevail, nor do the smartest or most prepared. Money and success are not reserved only for those who are best trained; as statistical analysis teaches, chance always plays a role.

Together in the struggle,

Brian