29/08/2026
SOME OF THE DAYS PEOPLE CALLED ME FOR STRENGTH WERE THE VERY DAYS I WAS LOOKING FOR STRENGTH MYSELF.
They didn't know.
I answered their calls.
I prayed for them.
I encouraged them.
I told them, "Don't give up. It will be well."
Then I would put the phone down and realize that I needed those same words more than the person I had just encouraged.
There were times I wanted to give up, but I looked around me and realized I couldn't afford to give up carelessly.
Not because I was stronger than everybody.
But because too many people were drawing strength from my strength.
And that is one of the most dangerous places a person can find himself:
WHEN EVERYBODY THINKS YOU ARE STRONG, BUT YOU ARE SECRETLY BLEEDING.
When one person bows to pressure, sometimes one person bows.
But when someone carrying thousands bows, thousands bow with him.
This is one of the dangers of leadership nobody talks about:
BLEEDING WHILE EVERYBODY THINKS YOU ARE STRONG.
Maybe you are that person in your family.
When there's a problem, everybody calls you.
Money? They call you.
Emergency? They call you.
Confusion? They call you.
Discouragement? They call you.
Somehow, you are expected to have an answer.
But WHO DOES THE STRONG PERSON CALL WHEN THE STRONG PERSON IS TIRED?
Sometimes people become so accustomed to your strength that they forget you are human.
They don't know you cried before answering their call.
They don't know you were fighting your own battle while solving theirs.
They don't know the person saying "Be strong" to everybody is also struggling to remain strong.
I found this in Scripture.
Moses confronted Pharaoh, divided the Red Sea and encountered God on Sinai.
Yet one day Moses said:
"I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me." — Numbers 11:14
MOSES!
Even Moses reached a point where he essentially said:
"THIS IS TOO HEAVY FOR ME."
And God didn't condemn him.
God gave him seventy elders to help carry the burden.
That taught me something:
SOMETIMES THE ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYER IS NOT MORE STRENGTH. SOMETIMES IT IS MORE HELP.
Then there was Elijah.
Yesterday, he was calling fire from heaven.
Today, he was sitting under a tree saying, "Lord, I've had enough."
People celebrate your Carmel, but they don't see your juniper tree.
They see the preaching, not the exhaustion afterward.
They see the crowd, not the loneliness.
They see the pictures, not the battles that never enter photographs.
Then look at Jesus in Gethsemane.
"My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me." — Matthew 26:38
Jesus asked His disciples to WATCH WITH HIM.
But they slept.
Sometimes you can be awake for everybody's battle and discover people sleeping during yours.
You answered their midnight calls.
You prayed through their crisis.
You carried their burdens.
But when your Gethsemane came, you discovered how lonely leadership can become.
So please...
CHECK ON STRONG PEOPLE TOO.
Your pastor needs encouragement.
Your father needs somebody to ask, "Daddy, are you really okay?"
Your mother needs strength too.
That firstborn carrying the family needs someone to check on them.
That friend everybody runs to needs somewhere to run too.
That businessman paying everybody's salary can also be afraid.
That leader encouraging thousands can sometimes go home wondering:
"WHO WILL ENCOURAGE ME?"
And to every strong person reading this:
YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BLEED IN SILENCE.
Even Moses said, "This is too heavy for me."
Even Elijah reached his limit.
Even Jesus said, "Watch with Me."
There were battles I couldn't allow to become my conclusion.
Not because they didn't hurt.
But because sometimes I looked behind me and saw people following.
And I realized:
IF I BOW TO THIS, I AM NOT BOWING ALONE.
There are people who haven't given up because you haven't given up.
So sometimes I wiped my tears and kept moving.
Not because I felt no pain.
But because purpose demanded that pain should not have the final word.
However, don't destroy yourself trying to save everybody.
Moses needed seventy elders.
Elijah needed rest.
Jesus allowed Simon of Cyrene to help carry His cross.
Even strong people must learn to receive help.
So don't always call strong people because you need something.
Sometimes call and simply ask:
"HOW ARE YOU? AND PLEASE DON'T GIVE ME THE STRONG ANSWER. HOW ARE YOU REALLY DOING?"
Because sometimes...
THE PERSON HOLDING EVERYBODY TOGETHER IS QUIETLY FALLING APART.
May God send you people who don't only love your strength but can recognize your weakness.
People who don't only celebrate your oil but can help carry your burden.
People who don't only need you but can also be there for you.
Stay strong, but don't bleed to death trying to prove that you are strong.
EVEN THE STRONG NEED SOMEWHERE TO BE WEAK SOMETIMES.
Blessings and share to encourage someone 🙏
