A friend recently posted something on Face Book that struck an immediate chord with me. “Strong? No my friend, I am far from it. What you’re seeing is a weak person with a very strong God.” Since I knelt at that altar 66 years ago, God has been my strength – not just a source of strength. I know I have quoted Romans 8:11 many times, but it illustrates the powerful strength that resides in the heart of every Christian and it has been put to the test and proven to be true time and again in the life of this Christian. “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
Physically, it is by God’s strength that I have survived a long list of diseases and illnesses. Currently, it is His strength that allows me to stand and walk on weak and painful arthritic knees. His strength is made perfect in my weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Mentally, God has provided His strength against the ravages of old age. He is the reason I can still remember clearly all of my experiences and have the ability to share them with you.
Emotionally, I learned from the example of my dad that you can be strong and still be soft hearted. I saw him shed tears of joy and tears of grief. As I have followed his example, it is God’s strength that keeps my soft heart from being crushed. It is by God’s strength, love and tender mercies that I am filled with empathy, compassion and the desire to help others heal from emotional wounds.
It is spiritually that God’s strength has the most impact in my life. In addition to the spiritual rebirth that only comes from God’s Son, it is the strength of His still small voice and His gentle promptings that constantly remind me that I am His child. Don’t get me wrong. There have been times in my life when I have taken the power of the Holy Spirit within me for granted or even tried to ignore it, but He has never given up on me. The more I obey Him and communicate with Him through worship, Bible study and prayer, the more His spiritual power is manifest in my life.
We need God’s strength more than ever in this trying time. As a follower of Jesus, you will find all the strength you need right there inside you. If you can’t find it; repent and believe with all your heart that Jesus died in your place to provide you with new life through God’s mercy and grace; and accept His gift of salvation that you could never earn. God promises to place the strength of His Spirit in your heart along with His continual guidance as His son or daughter.