Another unpopular word today? Weakness!

            When I first came across the following words in the Bible, I had to laugh. I was laid up after a double surgery with my red and puffy left foot propped up on pillows, useless, and my red and puffy right hand on my recliner’s armrest, also useless.

Here’s what I read: “With Your help I can advance against a troop,” David wrote in II Samuel 22:30. “With my God I can scale a wall.”

I said to myself, I don’t think I’m going to be doing any troop-advancing anytime soon – and I’m certainly not going to be doing any wall-jumping. I knew that even after I healed completely I would not be wall-jumping. Back in high school gym class, I could barely jump over the low hurdle.

I also read Psalm 91:13 “You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.” Hmmm. Have you seen an angry lion (or even a happy lion for that matter)? “Nice kitty” is not going to cut it. As for snakes, I could not picture myself trampling on any snake, ever.

So what was I supposed to get out of verses like these? I learned that the entire chapter 22 in II Samuel is David’s heartfelt song of praise to the God Who had enabled him to be victorious over his enemies. Never once in this long chapter – 51 verses! – does David take even the tiniest sliver of credit for his many successes in battle.

In order to give God credit we must acknowledge that we couldn’t have done it on our own. It’s like the line from the familiar children’s song Jesus Loves Me: “Little ones to Him belong; they are weak but He is strong.” Simple, yet profound. (Anna Bartlett Warner)

It reminds me of what Paul wrote: “But He [God] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’” (II Cor. 12:9a). Paul concludes at the end of verse 10 “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Failure to admit our own weakness may smack of what I wrote about a few weeks ago: pride. Perhaps you need to admit that you sometimes feel too weak to resist a temptation. Or maybe you don’t feel strong enough to face another day dealing with pain, illness, sorrow or a broken relationship. Or you are overwhelmed with problems of all sorts. 

Whatever the case, we can grab onto Isaiah 40:29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

When I wrote about “humility” recently, I said it may be an unpopular word these days. I think “weakness” may also fall into that category. Our culture bolsters us into believing we can do anything with the resources within ourselves, or maybe with a little help from our friends.

Well, here’s another word you may not hear much: Hogwash! You can believe that you are strong enough to fight every battle in your own strength, but I think you will eventually conclude you were wrong.

So, will you and I be called on to tread on a lion or trample a snake? Not likely. To lead a troop into battle or scale a wall? Also not likely. But those examples represent life challenges that loom large. To help us through those challenges, we can call on the King of the Universe Who created all things. Paul described God’s power as “incomparably great.”

Perhaps you’ll agree with this timeworn lyric: “I must tell Jesus all of my trials; I cannot bear these burdens alone; In my distress He kindly will help me; He ever loves and cares for His own.” (Elisha A. Hoffman)

(Note: All Scriptures are from the NIV).