Strength When We Are Weak

To be honest, this summer has been really hard. The last few weeks, especially, I have felt drawn out and unable to deal with life. I am just too worn out to keep going. I’m sure I’m not the only person to have felt like that either. The problem is that I have been trying to do this on my own. I haven’t been seeking the true source of strength to help me through every bit of life, so all of life is too difficult for me to handle. The Bible talks a great deal about our true source of strength and I will go into that here:

Psalm 105:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face continually.

This is the key to strength: seeking God and His strength. We can’t truly accomplish anything on our own strength. We need God. That is why we burn out, we run out of what God has given us and are not seeking Him to replenish us.

Isaiah 40:29-31 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Even young men at the top of their game get tired. Even spiritual giants grow weary and need to be refreshed and restored. We need to wait for God, to seek His strength, to let Him work in us.

Exodus 15:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will extol Him.

Only God is the source of true strength. When we seek His strength, we need to seek all of Him and not just go for what we can get. We need to praise Him for all He is and has done for us. He needs to be our God, the center of our universe and our highest priority.

1 Samuel 30:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

When everyone else turned to despair and anger, David turned to God. He had made a mistake and misled his people, but instead of falling into despair himself, he turned to God for his strength. He knew that was the source of all his strength.

Psalm 28:6-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.
The Lord is their strength,
And He is a saving defense to His anointed.

He becomes our strength when we trust Him, when we praise Him. He is always there, but we have to turn to Him and put our full trust in Him. We have to love and adore and thank Him.

Isaiah 58:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

This is the reward for those who follow God wholeheartedly and do His will. This is the prize for seeking God and turning away from the world. He longs to do this, but we have to turn to Him. We have to seek Him. We have to obey Him.

Acts 16:5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.

We can also gain strength from fellow believers. That is one of the purposes of the church; mutual help, sustaining and encouragement. But again, we have to seek and allow it. Others cannot help us if they don’t know or if we don’t let them. We are limited humans, we cannot do everything on our own. We need to admit that we need help and let others help us.

1 Peter 5:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Seek His strength and allow Him to strengthen you.