What does it mean to Be Strong?
There are different kinds of strength. There is physical strength; there is strength of will; there is strength of mind. We know strength when we see it. Still, how do we quantify it when we see it being displayed? We can only explain strength when it is contrasted with weakness.
Strength in Weakness
Al McGuire was a hall of fame basketball college coach. He coached many young men during his tenure and helped them to graduate. After retiring he would keep in contact with many of his former players. Towards the end of his life, he was diagnosed with leukemia. His son Allie McGuire tells the story of his father as he lay dying in the hospital. During that time, many of the men whose life the coach impacted would come to visit him. He would get out of bed and sit in a chair in his room with them. They would laugh, reminisce and catch up on current events in the players’ lives. After they would leave, he would be so weak that he could not make it back to bed without assistance from his son. Finally, one day his son said to him, “Dad, you don’t have to do this.” Coach replied, “Yes, I do. I am doing this for them. They need to remember me as having been strong”.
No one wants to be seen as weak. Unfortunately, it is inherent in the human condition. Any strength we possess is capped. No matter how strong we may believe ourselves to be, it will always have a limit. It is Finite in terms of its capacity and its duration. For example, there will always be a rock that we cannot move. And with the passing of time, our strength is always diminishing. Our strength does not last.
The Secret to Being Strong:
In 2 Cor. 12:9, the Holy Spirit gives us insight into
Our need for strength
What it means to be strong
The source of true strength
Our Need:
In this verse we are told that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. The root of the Greek word used for weakness is the word “asteneses". This particular word is sourced from the word "Alpha”. Alpha means the beginning. Here is what The Lord is telling us about the fundamental nature of our weakness. We did not become weak. We started out as weak. Neither did we grow weak over time. We were always weak. We are always in need of a strength that we do not inherently possess.
Strength Defined:
God speaks of His strength being revealed through our weakness. The word used for strength means to be able by ability and permission. (In other words, I might have the ability to do something, but not have the authority to do it). It is an inherent power that resides by virtue and nature. There is no weakness in God. He is able.
The Source:
The strength that we need is always sourced outside of ourselves (John15:5). There are things that God is calling each of His children to do. We can only accomplish them through the strength that He provides (Phil. 4:13). His strength is made available to us through and by His grace.
Thoughts to Grow On:
Are we trying to accomplish God’s will through our own power and ability?
Amen, thank you for sharing, our strength is in Jesus, who lives in us.
In our weakness, He is our strength. Where we are the most broken, that is where He shows His glory. He meets us where we are and in our times of need. It is when we are most fragile that He makes His presence known. For it is in our knowledge that we simply cannot, that He gets the glory because He can, and when He does that in our incapability, He is the only one that can get the glory. Blessings to you!
Amen. You are so right. He will make Himself known in our darkest hour and in our greatest need. Thank you for your inspiring comment. God bless and keep you.
We are saved by God's grace and we serve Him by grace, and can only yield spiritual fruits through the Spirit that we should not and able to glory in ourselves.
Posted using Partiko Android
Amen. You are right brother. All the glory belongs to Him. And it is by grace that we serve Him. God bless and keep you brother.
Super baby cool... #i'mfrom Venezuela
Congratulations @artoftherhyme! You have completed the following achievement on the Steem blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click here to view your Board
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPYou got a 18.52% upvote from @minnowvotes courtesy of @artoftherhyme!
Hey guys, please click on my link below thanx
http://MyMonthlyJob.com/?userid=912118
Footnotes: In 2 Cor. 12:9 we find the word "weakness". It is Strong's # 769. This means "feeble". We find that the root of this word is Strong's#772. This word means "strengthless". However this word comes from Strong's #1. This word is Alpha.
Thank you very much for this inspiring article. It has given me the strength to go on. Truly relatable, for I don't want my family to see that I'm weakened by life's struggles. Faith is all I have.
Praise God my brother. Stay encouraged. I want you to read Isaiah 41:10 and meditate on it. I am praying for you. I am now following you.
Thanks once again. God bless..
I bet he can lift that
I bet he can as well. LOL.