Our Weakness, His Strength

Reflect on God’s Word

During the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, British sprinter Derek Redmond tore his hamstring while running the 400-meter race. Seized with great pain, Redmond knew his race was over, but he still wanted to make it to the finish line. He kept on, hobbling painfully. And then suddenly, out of the stands, a man came running, brushing aside security, to support the limping athlete, his son. The two crossed the finish line together. What an iconic Olympic moment.^*

And what a powerful visual image of a father helping his child. Hold that image in your head for a moment and imagine your heavenly Father supporting you when you feel weak and powerless, struggling to reach a finish line.

The enemy may tempt you to look for strength in the wrong places—in personal victories, a swelling bank account, a full cup of coffee—but the truth is that real strength comes from God. The prophet Isaiah promises, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31). When you call out to God, God will come to your rescue and give you everything you need to soar with eagles.

We see this truth over and over again in Scripture.

Job is a prime example of relying on God’s strength. He had just learned that all his children and servants had been killed, and all his livestock had been stolen. His words in Job 1:21–22 show his reliance on the Lord: “‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”

Job never could have endured all that happened to him without the strength of God upholding him.

Daniel, who was a faithful Hebrew, exiled in Babylon as a slave, faced many situations where he was in danger from the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzar. When he refused to stop praying to the one true God, he was thrown into a den of hungry lions. Darius, who had come to value Daniel as a wise advisor, reacts this way:

When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. (Daniel 6:20–23)

Without God’s help—shutting the mouths of the lions—Daniel would surely have perished.

The apostle Paul endured many trials as he spread the gospel to the nations. Second Corinthians 11:24–30 (NLT) lists them:

Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.

Weakness is not a failing. In fact, being aware of your weakness is the beginning of developing your strength because the strength God gives is strength for his purposes, for the race he has set out for you. This strength lifts you closer to him and enables you to do what he calls you to do.

Release the Lies

Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Where do you feel weak? Give this question space to expand within you.

As you return to your breath, begin to notice it moving in and out, this simple, natural movement bringing life and health to your body. As you breathe, do a quick inventory of your body. Do you have weakness anywhere? In your back? Shoulders? Knees? Then think about the places you feel weak in life—marriage, parenting, work. Ask God to strengthen you.

Now think about places in your body you feel strong. Your arms? Your legs? And what about life? Maybe you feel strong in life because you’ve got the education, the training, the knowledge, the energy to carry out your job. If you’re a teacher, you know how to teach. If you’re a nurse, you know how to take care of people.

Take some time now to sit with another question: Where do you see yourself depending on your own strength rather than relying on God’s strength?

When Satan tries to discourage you, go back to what you know is true: God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:29). He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Ask God to deliver you from Satan’s lie that you have to do everything in your own power. Ask him to give you strength to soar like the eagles.

God, I wait on you. Help me to understand both my weaknesses and my strengths. I believe that in my weakness, you are strong and will fight on my behalf. Help me to thank you for my strengths but not depend solely on them. Remind me that only you can deliver me and give me all I need. Thank you for sending Jesus to take on flesh and sympathize with all my weaknesses. Thank you for saving me through him. It’s in his name that I pray, amen.

JOURNAL PROMPT: Describe a time when your weakness challenged you to lean on God. Maybe you faced a challenge at work or a problem that you were tasked to solve, and you didn’t even know where to start. Or maybe you needed to have a hard conversation with a friend and were afraid of what it would do to your friendship. How did God bring you victory?