Strength Isn’t Always A Good Thing….

Strength isn’t always a good thing. The NT clearly gives us examples of being weak, and it being good. I guess it’s not necessarily strength that’s the culprit. It’s our attitude about strength that is the deciding factor. Being strong gives us more options. Strength gives us the false security of trusting in ourselves more. Strength gives us the ability to say “No” to God. So where do we find the balance, the safe zone of being confident but not allowing it to go to our head? Simply pursue God. Allow Him to reign sovereignly in your life. You’ll find even in your weakness, He is strong. His strength will become your strength. True Christianity is dying to self. The reason we die to self, is to make room for God to increase in us. The more room we make for God in our lives, the more strength He gives us. So in reality, for the Christian, strength is found in our surrender. It’s found in trusting God. It’s found in letting go. True strength, the kind that endures and gets us through life, comes from God. And in order to get strong in Him, you have to give up more of self. The opposite of true strength would be focusing on self, learning to be self-sufficient, thinking we can do it by ourselves. Rehoboam turned away from God when he firmly established and fortified the cities of Judah. He thought his strength was enough, so he abandoned the law of the Lord. The saddest part of it was all of Israel followed in his footsteps. True strength comes from God, and it’s not the kind of strength the world wants everyone to pursue. Be careful how you view strength, it will make or break you.

1 But when Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of the Lord, and all Israel followed him in this sin. 2 Chronicles 12:1