Strength To The Powerless

Strength to the Powerless

No one can measure the depths of [God’s] understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Isaiah 40:28-29

Have you ever felt powerless? I remember feeling that way when my youngest son was hospitalized with pneumonia. I couldn’t do anything to help. My heart ached. I also felt powerless when I saw two cars crash in front of mine on the highway. In both cases the situation was out of my hands.

It may seem that living in an Amish community would bring the same feeling of powerlessness. The Amish function on the premise of unity . . . but what if you don’t agree with the rest of the group?

Every Amish community has members who hold different opinions about what is right, but the community is not swayed by the opinions of a few. This might be hard for us to imagine. If we want to dress a certain way, we do. If we want to decorate our house in neon or send our son to college, there is no one to stop us. Yet in both of these cases, if you lived in an Amish community, someone else would have final say.

It may seem as if being Amish takes all decisions out of the hands of individual Amish people, but the biggest decision is still in their grasp: individuals choose to remain in the Amish community. Their decision is toward reticence—the ability to restrain themselves. They choose not to oppose. They choose unity. They choose not to follow their own ideas and plans.

To submit to others in an Amish community is to understand their position as children of God. It’s also to understand that when we do right and attempt to live right, God will strengthen us, give us understanding, give power to the weak and strength to the powerless. When we look to Him and submit to our fellow followers, He is glorified. We show His power when we don’t try to claim it for ourselves.

Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for being my strength and my power. Help me to be willing to give up some of my own power and control so You can exhibit Yours.