How many times in life have you felt that your strength was just not sufficient for the task at hand? I have experienced that feeling many times, both physically and mentally. A few years ago, we moved to the home where we now live. The bones of the home were good, but the rest of the home was just not us. We decided to gut the home and build and add an extra room. We hired a contractor to do the main floor and the addition, but we chose to renovate the upstairs ourselves. The previous two homes to this one were new builds that we contracted, except for the basement levels. We did those ourselves. Therefore, in our minds, this would be no big deal. We took two weeks to do the project and camp out in the upstairs. However, we failed to take into account that we were 10 years older than when we did our last project, and our strength was not the same. We mastered the task, but at the end of each day, there was only enough strength for a shower, food, and crawling into bed. That was it! Physical strength usually gets less as we grow older, but our mental and spiritual strength and resolve should get stronger.
In Isaiah 40:29-31, we are told he gives strength to those who are waiting on Him. In verse 31, we are told the method or means of the imparting of strength. It is to those who wait on God. So how do you wait? Is this waiting a passive do nothing? I think not. As with any type of strength gaining, there must be exercise. Here we need spiritual exercises. We need to pray, read the instruction manual, the Bible, and we need to get alone with Him and abide in Him. In John 15:5, Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches. If we don’t abide, or stay connected, we can do nothing. Our source of strength is diminished without staying connected.
Isaiah 40:29 – 31 “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
It is through these spiritual exercises that we can receive His strength. Through these exercises, our trust in how God works is increased. Our hope is grounded in the truth of His word. We come to realize the strength we gain is not our strength, but His strength working through us. His strength far exceeds any strength we can attain on our own.
There is another key biblical principle regarding strength. In his writings, Paul reminds us how we can be strong when we are weak. In II Corinthians 12:10, he takes pleasure in his weakness because it is his weakness that causes him to turn to God and God alone. So many times we don’t allow God to be in control until we feel we are out of control.
II Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
In Philippians 4:13 we are taught we can gain strength and achieve all God intends for us if we depend on Him. Again it is through Him and not of ourselves!
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Our trials should not cause us to give up and sink under the weight of them. He will strengthen us if we put our confidence in Him. We don’t need to give in to temptation, because His strength will remind us there is a way to escape. It is important that we do not worry and fret about the future. He is able to strengthen us and bring us through every situation in life. If we are surrendered to Him, He will be in control and whatever He allows is what is best for us. His strength is made perfect in us.
He promises over and over He will supply the strength needed to live a successful, victorious life, but we must meet the condition of allowing Him to work through us.
