"The bonds we form with other people can help us through any setback. Genuine friendship will survive any dispute or competition. And true partnership provides strength in times of trouble and confusion."

Strength.

Sometimes I feel as if the word has lost its meaning. It's one of those trendy words thrown around on social media. It's placed in front of a pretty background -- but strength isn't always pretty.

Actually, it can be pretty ugly when life keeps treating you like the pins in a game of bowling.

You can only tell yourself, "You'll get through this," so many times before you start asking, "So, what's next?"

There seems to be a misconception about strength. It would seem being strong means being able to "tough it out" or get through things alone. Society wants us to believe letting people in or showing emotion is a weakness.

They are wrong.

Strength is letting the world in at the moment you want to shut it out most.

Strength is knowing it's OK to cry -- to be vulnerable.

Being strong is allowing yourself to lose it for a few minutes, and then knowing when to ask for help.

It's unhealthy (even dangerous) to bottle up emotions -- this has been preached to us since we were little.

Do we listen, though?

As a generation, we are so afraid to show others our sensitive side. We're afraid to be judged, or perceived as weak. Letting down our guard in order to let someone in might seem too "needy" in an independent world.

Breaking down walls so someone might see us for who we are could lead to heartbreak, so why should we risk it?

There are many reasons why we could shut people out, but there are even more reasons why we shouldn't.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, "There is an appointed time for everything, and there is a time for every event under heaven." I am a strong believer in this concept.

Not everything that has happened in my life has been good. I've made mistakes, people have wronged me and things have gone wrong just because they can.

There have been many times where life has left me feeling bitter, alone and worn down. I felt as if not even God cared.

With that said, even if everything that went wrong wasn't good, it was good for me.

Hear me out.

As a child, I lived in an abusive household.

I wouldn't change it.

That situation led me to the best possible chance at life I could ask for. Everything that happened, during and after, prepared me for the real world.

It taught me how to love myself and those around me, even if they didn't show me love. I learned humility, the value of good old-fashioned hard work, and I was blessed with an education at the end of it all.

God took a bad situation and handed me the seed to grow a better life for myself.

People would tell me I was strong to have lived in such a situation, but I didn't know the difference. I didn't even know what the word "strong" meant.

I really came to learn what strength was after entering college. I started out fresh-faced and eager. Soon though, I was asking myself and God what He was going to throw at me next.

The word "Why?" constantly fell from my mouth.

I'm no longer ashamed to admit I gave up.

I gave up on myself -- school, dreams, and God too. It was at that point, I felt the weakest I'd ever felt in my life.

I felt hopeless.

There came a day, however, when I realized I needed to listen to God and make a change. I needed to let in the people around me.

The day I decided to believe in myself and God's plans for me was the day I understood what strength really was.

Strength is getting back up after you fall, even if you fall a thousand times.

Likewise, being strong means allowing other people in. The truth is, it's impossible to get through life alone. I wouldn't be where I am today without the friends and family surrounding me, before and after that low point in my life.

Our first instinct may be to shut the world out when everything is crumbling around you (like I did), but that's why you shouldn't.

If you were in a crumbling building without the use of your legs, would you let your pride get the best of you and stubbornly sit there, convinced you could handle it alone?

My guess is no.

The same concept applies to your other problems. It can be hard asking for help, but being strong isn't easy. If it were easy or enjoyable, then everyone would be strong, wouldn't they?

It takes strength to let go of the walls we've built around us. They weren't built in a day, and they certainly won't fall in a day. Being strong is a choice.

It's a mindset.

It's being able to keep getting back up, even when the bowling ball continues to strike you down. It's opening up enough to let your friends and family help you find your strength.

"You can't be brave if you've only let good things happen to you."