Gonna Make You Stronger

When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain't gonna last forever
And things can only get better
Believe me
This is gonna make you stronger
Gonna make you stronger, stronger, stronger
Believe me, this is gonna make you ...

Those are the words of a song from Mandisa, who is actually encouraging fans to contact “The Biggest Loser” TV show in order for that song to perhaps be sung on the finale of this season.   Find out more at mandisaofficial.com.   She, in fact, has gone public on some of her struggles with weight, and so, obviously there would be a compatibility there, you would think.   She’s lost 100 pounds since Simon Cowell told her on American Idol that they were going to have to get a bigger stage for her.

And, her song, “Stronger” really reflects a Biblical perspectives on the struggles that we face.

A Christian who is an actor – in Hollywood – is echoing that same message these days.  In fact in 1997, Kevin Sorbo suffered an aneurysm followed by three strokes. He almost lost his arm, and the battle was far from over. Sorbo's balance and vision were severely impaired and there was a constant hum in his head -- and it took many years until his health improved.  His life-changing health scare is recounted in the new book "True Strength," a gripping account of Sarbo's illness and gradual recovery.

In fact, he was able to share his faith perspective in, of all places, the Huffington Post.

Did you find solace in religion?

I've always been a religious guy, but not overly religious. I've always believed in God and Jesus. I pray. But at the time, I went through stages that most people go through when this happens. The "Why me?" Then I got mad at God…I was getting geared up to be the next action man in Hollywood." It certainly hurt my career, which I wasn’t happy about, but with God I finally got to a point where I was told by a couple of people that I had to look at it as a gift. It was hard for me to do.

How do you look at three strokes as a gift?

It didn't kill me. It certainly made me stronger. It pushed me to become a bigger and stronger man -- physically and mentally.

As Sorbo said in the interview, everyone has a story, and he said he is able to identify more with people who have physical challenges.   So, what’s your story?   What difficulty are your facing – has it become something so overwhelming that you are paralyzed by it?    In the midst of it all, we can turn to the Lord, gain His perspective, and allow Him to teach us and ultimately strengthen us.