Proud to Be HumbleSample

PROUD TO BE STRONG

At the beginning of the most exhilarating stories in the Bible, there is a moment when the hero gets a pep talk from God. From Joshua, before attacking Jericho: "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged." (Joshua 1:9 NLT); to Gideon, before defeating the Midianites: "The Lord turned to him and said, 'Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!'" (Judges 6:14 NLT) Is it possible for our godly strength to become yet another pride trap?

Oh yes. Many fallen heroes of the Bible became examples of how a divine gift of strength can corrupt into pride. The tragic story of Samson comes to mind (Judges 14-16). Samson knew exactly where his extraordinary strength came from, but he chose to tempt God's grace. In a moment of weakness, he gambled all the great purposes God had with his life. "Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. 'My hair has never been cut,' he confessed, 'for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.'" (Judges 16:17 NLT) And that place of weakness is exactly where God meets us.

Only when we realize that all strength would leave us immediately when we take our eyes from the Lord can we truly start to be strong. There is no better way to explain it than by Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 12: "'So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me… For when I am weak, then I am strong.'" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT)

Do you consider yourself as someone with inner strength and resilience? Do you struggle to admit weakness?

Let us stop relying on our strength for victory. Let us stop measuring success by our achievements. A good outcome is only possible when we surrender to Love. "Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:8 NIV)