Strength in Weakness

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”  - 1 Corinthians 1:25 (ESV)

This verse gives me some serious comfort. Read it again. It isn’t telling us that God is foolish or weak, but rather the opposite! He is strong, wise and good. We however, have lots of room for growth in those areas. 

Here lately I have not felt that strong. I have been pretty open about my struggles with depression and anxiety through this blog, and that continues here. And the thing that I want to emphasize is that I don’t have all the answers. I don’t have answers for me and that means that I certainly can’t pretend to have answers for someone else’s unique situation. What I do have, however, is a heart for women who struggle in this area. And if that is you, sister, then I hope you hear my heart.

So, as I was saying, I have not felt very strong these days. I have had to depend on my amazing husband for some of the basic care things around my house, like laundry getting done, children getting bathed, and pushing me toward accomplishing much of anything. Depression is a thief like this. Somehow I make it through a work day because I have to and I collapse when I get home. Exhausted. Weak. Spent. It’s no way to live. 

So, Angie, what does this have to do with the verse in 1 Corinthians? Well, when that verse was written it was talking about people getting hung up on the story of Jesus. The crucifixion and resurrection of our Savior was hard for some people back then just as it is now. Believing in a God that is all powerful when you are struggling with something as simple as getting up in the morning seems confounding. It's a weakness within my earthly body. It is foolishness inside my head. Again, hear my heart. 

In my head I know logically that depression and anxiety are things that I am being “tricked” into believing. Whether it is because of a chemical imbalance or trauma, physiological or psychiatric. I can go through counseling, take medicine, say affirmations, follow doctor’s orders, and even try to “pull myself out of it”. Sometimes, however, none of those things work and I am still stuck in a depression. So where does the comfort come in? Where does the relief come from? Well, sometimes it takes a long time to show up. Other times it comes from a friend speaking truth and praying with me. And sometimes, it is this verse. 

When I am foolishly believing the lies of the enemy when I am weak and can’t seem to function when I am sad and can’t seem to happy thought my way back to the surface that is when I know that I am going to have to fully rely on God’s wisdom and strength. 

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

In this verse Paul is talking about his thorn in the flesh. Whatever that thorn was, he asked God to take it and this was the response. Sometimes I feel like this is being spoken directly to me as well. God’s grace is wonderful and sufficient. He has placed people in my life to help me through hard times. My husband, my sister, my children, my friends, my church family. All I have to do is use my weak and insufficient wisdom to lean on God and the people that he has given me. It is a gift - freely given. Grace and love are two things that we can never earn from God or anyone else. 

So, when you are feeling weak in the knees or weak in the spirit, remember that God is strong. He will never leave you. He is the rock and fortress that we can continually come to (Psalm 71:3) and when we are weakest, he shines through. He loves and cares for us beyond anything that we can understand and sometimes that means that we are set up to allow Him to shine through our weakest times. 

So sisters, if you are dealing with something that is making you feel weak I hope you will find your strength in God and those that God has put in your life. That might mean seaking out professional help. It might mean calling a friend and crying that ugly snotty cry on the phone. But ultimately it means leaning in to God and allowing our sweet loving Father to be a balm to our wounds through his word. 

Father, I know that this world is broken and that it is never your goal for your children to suffer. But since we live here and not in heaven, we will come up against all kinds of evil and suffering. Let us lean on you and your word. Place people in our lives that can speak truth and love into us. Help us with fleeing from the enemy and binding him up in our lives. Bring us comfort and peace like only you can. Amen.