Letting God’s Strength Work Through Your Weakness

I often hear people offer these words when a woman is going through a hard time:

“You just have to be strong”

And while I know this advice is meant to be helpful, I can’t help but think about how inaccurate that is.

I think of all the added pressure it must add onto a woman’s heart when she is already struggling. Another weight added onto her already sinking ship.

More that she has to try to try to do on her own.

And if you have heard this before when you are going through a hard time, I want to tell you that the reality is that you don’t have to be strong.

God’s Strength Works Through our Weakness

You can fall to your knees. You don’t have to stay standing trying to be strong.

Fall to the feet of Jesus.
Weep until you have no tears left.
Bring every complicated piece of your heart to God, because He is strong enough to handle it.
And He is waiting to carry whatever is it that is heavy on your heart.

Come exactly as you are with whatever feelings you are carrying. And then share it with Him.

If you are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, don’t try to push it down and carry on. If you are feeling heartbroken and filled with grief, don’t try to put on a smile. If you are filled with fear and worry, don’t try to muscle through it.

Find your way to His presence.
Fall on your face.
Hand Him every broken piece of your heart.
Open your hands in surrender.
Cast all of your burdens onto Him.
Don’t hold back or pretend.

Bring every raw and unfiltered feeling to Him, He is not scared of your questions or your confusion.  He isn’t offended when you feel disappointed or angry about life.

He never expected you to be strong, so don’t let people tell you have to be.

My friend, you will never be strong enough to carry all of the burdens that life will throw at you.

There will be storms that will knock you to the ground and leave you breathless, but that is not where your story will end, because you have a God who will carry you through.

A God whose strength works best through your weakness.
A God who can redeem pain.
A God who collects your tears.
A God who can turn evil into good.

God isn’t scared to pick up the jagged sharp pieces of your heart. He isn’t afraid to walk through the rubble to find you. What seems impossible for you, isn’t for Him.

Let Him be strong for you. Let Him see every weak piece that you are trying to hide from others.

And while healing may not come immediately, transformation will eventually happen.

When you sit in the presence of Jesus things begin to change. He will be with you as you cry. He will hold you in His arms and comfort you. He will begin to bandage your wounds with His love and mercy. His peace will begin to cover you. You will begin to regain your strength.

I have heard these words before myself “You just have to be strong,” and I and so thankful that I realized they were not true – because if I hadn’t, I believe I would still be struggling in my own strength.

But now I can tell of my story, that I once was weak. That I once was broken. That I once was walking in darkness. That I once had no strength left and then I fell at the feet of Jesus. And in Him I found everything I needed. Through Him I found healing.

And as I sat in His presence I felt His love fall upon me. And through His love and grace I regained my strength. I wasn’t strong enough but He was strong enough for me.

I will never be strong in my own strength but I will forever be a fragile humbled woman on my face before a mighty God who lifts me up and pours His strength over me and I pray that whoever reads this knows He can do the same for you too.