“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 ESV
I thought quite a bit about strength this week: partly because I was sick and didn’t have any, and partly because of something I read in John Bevere’s book The Awe of God. I’ve been using this book to help guide my morning time with God, and a recent chapter supplied a statement that struck me: “Am I trying to obey the words of Jesus in my own strength or am I relying on His grace, promises, and divine nature to do so? How can I rely more on His ability, rather than my own?” (The Awe of God, pg. 195).
Well, I am trying to obey the words of Jesus, but I rarely, if ever, consider how I’m trying to obey them. Because if I’m trying to obey the words of Jesus in my own strength, even if my intentions are good, then I’m still missing how those words point to my need for God’s strength above my own. And I’ll still feel like something’s just not right in my life despite my best efforts.
Yup, sounds about right.
Scripture is filled with passages about relying on God’s strength rather than our own.
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 ESV
Truths from this passage:
- God will renew me in His strength, and renew implies refreshment and rejuvenation rather than something completely new
- God’s strength is better than mine
- God’s strength does not diminish: the previous verse says, “. . . He does not faint or grow weary. . . “(verse 28)
- Those who live in their own strength will be weary. . . been there, done that, and it’s exhausting, not to mention unfulfilling
- I need to wait for God (there it is again – more waiting)
- God’s strength will lead me, sustain me, and get me through tough days
And what is our response to this verse and these truths? Trust. Trust enough to wait on God. Trust that God will give us strength. Trust that we can get through the day because God can get us through anything.
Promises About God’s Strength
- God will strengthen our hearts (Psalm 10:17).
- God will strengthen us when we are afraid (Isaiah 41:10).
- God will strengthen us when we are weak (Ezekiel 34:16).
Relying on God Rather Than Ourselves
- We can rely on His faithfulness (Psalm 86:11 NIV).
- We can rely on His protection (Psalm 59:17 NIV).
- We can rely on His love (1 John 4:16 NIV).
So I invite you to reflect on this concept with me: the idea that I can try to obey the words of Jesus in my own strength. The words “letting go” come to mind, because that’s what I know I need to do. But if God promises His strength, and we can rely on Him, then the end result will only have us yielding to Him more. . . in all areas of our lives.
Check your personal strength-o-meter – is the needle closer to your name or to God’s?
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 ESV
2 responses to “Whose Strength?”
So true! I was reminded of this very idea earlier today. Thanks, as always, for all of the scripture references.
Yes, yes, yes! If I would just stop long enough to whisper of a prayer of submission, I’d surely become a wide-open vessel that God could pour his strength into! “Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees,” O Lord (Psalm 119:5)! Thank you Kim for encouraging us to trust God for the strength to obey him.