So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10, NIV

Every year my Church did a campout in a botanical Garden called Hoomaluhia. During this campout, it was a tradition to go for a hike up the old Pali road. This was a steep winding road up the mountain that was used to go through the Pali mountains. This hike was a highlight of the trip. We would have 30 kids running around with adults trying their best to keep an eye on all of them, nearly an impossible task. We got so familiar with this hike that we knew every turn, every tree, every little trick of the trail. We felt like we ruled the hike. I remember this distinct feeling, and one year we were especially confident. The pastor's youngest daughter who was about 16 years old was particularly confident as she walked on the stone wall that lined the old Pali road. As she was walking, almost strutting, she yelled out, “I’m invincible” and disappeared right off the stone wall. 

We all ran over to where she fell holding our breaths! As we peered over the wall we saw her about 15 feet down looking a bit shocked but okay. We sighed a breath of relief as she grinned up at us knowing she had just exclaimed that she was invincible. She climbed up the bamboo trees near the wall a short time later and received some wise warnings from the adults leading out on the hike, while the whole time grinning. To this day that scene is vivid in my mind.  

At one time or another, we have all felt invincible. Maybe not in the same way my friend did on that hike. While feeling like you can do anything is a wonderful feeling, we have all experienced that crash back down to reality. It's a harsh feeling, going from thinking anything is possible to feeling like you can’t do anything right. 

The Bible is filled with these kinds of stories. Jesus’ Disciples felt like they could do anything. They had performed miracles in Jesus' name. Matthew 10:1 tells us that the disciples were sent out with Jesus' authority “over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction”. In Matthew 17 Jesus’ disciples felt invincible when a man came to them asking for his son to be freed from demon possession. This is something they had seen Jesus do and something Jesus specifically gave them the power to do, but no matter how hard they tried, nothing happened. 

Sometimes we are faced with issues we are prepared for and we tackle the problem easily. We work so hard to be prepared for things and to be competent in our lives, whether it be at work, school, or family life. We prepare ourselves for every situation and it feels good to tackle a problem. But when we run into something we should be able to do, things fall apart. We can start to second-guess ourselves, and our abilities. Satan loves to sow seeds of doubt in our lives and lies about how we are not enough and never will be. 

Jesus’ explanation to the disciples in Matthew 17:19 is true today. Jesus told them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Paul expands on this in his letter to the Philippians saying “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. 

When we succeed we are so eager to congratulate ourselves for our abilities forgetting that it is through Christ we have been given this strength. The disciples forgot this when they were ministering with Christ. Blessedly we are always welcomed back into that strength through our faith.As you go through life's challenges, remember the promise in Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”