Christian Living

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THE PROBLEM WITH STRENGTH

I have long understood a thread of thought that flows quite plainly and visibly through our lives as the Bible depicts it. The Christian universe is upside down, or at least it is compared to the systems of this planet that we live in. In a Biblical perspective, weakness has never been a problem. Weakness has never been seen as a “weakness”, per se. It has never been viewed as a liability or a disability. Inabilities or flaws commonly found in most people or specially found in some people were always accepted, even embraced by God. In fact in some cases, The Lord not only allows us to have certain weaknesses, but He prefers it, even causes it. I know that that might be a controversial perspective, but that will be for another discussion. The point I am trying to assert here is that in the midst of my flaws, I also have some strengths. Not very many, but they’re still there. I believe that the God who allowed me to live with certain weaknesses also was gracious enough to give me a few strengths. But our flaws are not always the cause of our downfalls and failures- sometimes it’s our strengths.

I have no doubts that God uses our strengths for His work. I believe that He gives us gifts and abilities that are especially tailored for the mission and burden He has for our lives. When we do what we are called to do, what we are effectively doing is using the gifts that He has entrusted us to accomplish the tasks He has for us. For Him, through Him, by Him.
I am making this point so that you as the reader will not misinterpret what I am saying as unbalanced and groundless.

My strength becomes a hindrance when I become inflexible to God’s leading. God is not a cookie-cutter leader. The way He governs His children’s lives is not a formula. Having said that, God is also not a random dice-roller. He’s always in control and He always has a plan- but His plans are not always fully known to us. Sometimes we limit God's movement in our lives because we only see what He can do in us through what we perceive our strengths to be.

A lot of times God wants to show me something new, but because of my ignorance or fear, I don’t hear it because I tend to push myself in the areas that I know I am strong in. My heart becomes unteachable. A heart that God cannot teach, He will not use. It’s not that He is unable to use it, but he refuses to do so because what He is after is our dependence on Him. God was always in a habit of using the weakness of people because this is what glorifies Him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 expounds on this point beautifully:

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord’.”

When we are in a habit of relying on ourselves and our abilities we have little use for God’s intervening power. In our strengths, it is easier to forget about what God can do. Ultimately, we unknowingly rob God of His glory.

Even our relationship with our fellow Christians suffer when we are always playing on our strong strings. It becomes really challenging for us to submit and suppress our strengths because we feel like we have somehow earned a place of respect for our expertise and experience. We push ourselves in areas that we feel like we can be used in, not wanting the assignments and tasks that do not highlight our special gifts. It becomes difficult for us to submit, even inwardly – which is where it really counts.

This is a stark contrast when it comes to areas that we know we are weak in or unfamiliar with. Here we hold tightly to God’s hand for fear of failure. Here we acknowledge the advice and direction of others because we know we are not the experts. Here we hesitate to put ourselves up in a pedestal, even in our minds, because we know deep inside that we don’t deserve the recognition or position. Here we are teachable, humble, submissive, and dependent on God- which is exactly the posture that He wants us in all the time.

Really it is not our strength that is the problem – it’s us. It’s our altered self-perception and proud spirit that develops from an unhealthy understanding of the gifts that God has given us. When we come to a place where we understand that our gifts ultimately came from God and still belongs to Him, and that in His sovereignty and wisdom He can and will use our strengths and weaknesses as He sees fit – there is no longer an issue. And the only things that remain are our dependence and gratefulness.


God Bless

March M. Villareal
[email protected]
www.manswicked.com

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