Strength is Commanded

It’s clear, we are weak people.

Followers of Jesus often find themselves down, discouraged, troubled, sick, in pain, tempted, suffering, and struggling.

Before we envy those in scripture for their closeness to God and apparent lack of difficulty, we must look closer. They were people like us.

Consider Timothy. He walked and ministered with Paul, and he also found himself emotionally burdened down, weak, and wavering (2 Tim 1:3-8). In that state, God commanded strength for Timothy:

2 Tim 2:1 - Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Does that feel unkind?

In my pity party, the only welcome guests are those who come and sit in the misery. Yet God comes to me in grace and says it’s time to end the party, throw out the decorations, and be strong in him!

We might think of God as a drill sergeant whipping his troops into shape. Do this, don’t do that, “yes, sir! No, sir! Thank you, sir!” Certainly, he is the King of kings and the Lord of Lords.

The scriptural picture that helps me is to see a loving father encouraging, stabilizing, strengthening, and helping his children. He has given us his strength, his aid, and he desires for us to live in it!

God comes to us with comfort, and he also comes with strength. His grace is healing, and it’s also helping.

My father picks me up, sets me on my feet, and says, “Go forward, be strong!” He’s cheering for me, and strengthening me to go on.

Our part is obedience. We must not reject the command to be strong.

While we live in weakness, we don’t wallow in weakness. We rejoice in weakness! (2 Cor 4:7, 12:10) God’s strength plus our weakness is a wonderful combination. It is just the place where God’s strength is clearly revealed in our lives. All glory to God!