Weakness is not a Bad Thing
In our culture weakness is frowned upon. And yet, in God’s kingdom, it is what draws Him near to us.
The Bible says that Jesus is easily touched by our weaknesses and that God is near to the brokenhearted.
But what happens when God draws near to you in your weakness? Does He just empathize with you, having been human Himself? Or does He simply comfort you and tell you everything is going to be okay but leaves you in your weak state? I think not.
Look at what Isaiah tells us about what God does with our weakness:
“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31
This passage clearly tells us that God will give you power, increased strength, renewed strength, and the ability to walk and run and yet not grow weary or faint.
Are you growing weary? Are you about to faint? Well, you do not have to. But There is one qualifier, one key phrase in this passage that activates the Lord’s strength…
“They that wait upon the Lord.”
This phrase is loaded with meaning, but here are three things you must do to experience this strength renewal:
1. Trust
You must trust God. Anxiety depletes your strength. You must believe that He is in control and will ultimately take care of what it is you are worried about. This will enable you to use your internal energies on things you can do something about. Worry wears down your immune system.
The Bible says that anxiety causes depression and rots the bones. Joy, on the other hand, is like medicine to the physical body.
2. Be Patient
What you are hoping for probably is not going to happen when you want it to. The longer you relate to God the more you come to realize that He does things in His own timing, not yours. But you also come to realize that His timing is always perfect.
3. Draw near to Him.
I opened this lesson with the truth that God draws near to you, but you also must draw near to Him.
“Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8
We all use other means to reduce pressure, stress, and anxiety, whether it be entertainment, sleep, procrastination (which adds more stress), or even substances. But it is only when you turn to the Lord that you find His strength replacing your weakness.
Turn to Him in your weakness. Draw near to Him by spending time every day in the Bible, prayer, and giving and receiving prayer from other believers. Once you do, you will find that He not only empathizes and comforts you, but you will walk away with renewed strength!
John