When I Am Weak
Two Fridays ago was "Good Friday," and my family attended an evening church service here in the city. The pastor in his sermon made a point I really enjoyed; so much so, that I actually wanted to write this blog post about it.
The pastor's sermon was primarily about the crucifixion. He said (and I'm paraphrasing), When Jesus was hanging on that cross, Satan thought that he had Jesus right where he wanted Him. Satan had infiltrated Jesus' inner circle: he had possessed Judas, one of the twelve. After a false trial and brutal scourging, here was Jesus, nailed to two pieces of wood, on the verge of death. But the truth was that God actually had Satan exactly where He wanted him. It was through Christ's death on the cross that death would be defeated, sins for would forgiven, and Satan's downfall would be secured.
Hebrews 2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Then the pastor said, Oftentimes, it's when we're at our weakest moment, that's when God can use us the most.
And when he said that, the truth of his words echoed in my heart. It’s true - when we're struggling and enduring hardships, that’s when God can use us the easiest. It’s in our low points when we develop a humility and a desperate reliance upon God, forged by the affliction. And once God has our attention, He can use us as He pleases. But when we're prospering and everything is going well, we can lose sight of God, and forget to rely upon him.
Psalm 30:6
And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
I think of David. When you look at David's life, David was closest to God when he was on the run from Saul. David was constantly seeking God's counsel. "Should I go there?" or "Should I stay here?" David possessed a humility and love for others that was unsurpassed by anyone else in his generation. I love reading about that period of David's life. He's my favorite character in the bible. Truly a man after God's own heart.
But it was after David had become king, and God had subdued all of his enemies, and David was living in the palace, that we see David at times exhibiting an attitude of indifference. For example, after the death of Uriah the Hittite.
Are trials and tribulations enjoyable? Of course not. But one of the blessings that comes with trials is that they bring us closer to God than ever before. They instill in us humility and patience; they force us to rely upon God, instead of our own self-will; and they push us to make sacrifices for God, that we never would have considered, had we been living in luxury.
2 Corinthians 1:9
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
If you ever find yourself in a low point in life (and maybe you're in one right now), remember that God could have you right where He wants you. He wants you to leave your comfort zone, step out of the boat onto the water, and start trusting Him. And once He has your attention, that’s when you’ll get to see God do something amazing things in your life.
2 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.
