Feeling overwhelmed and uncertain in your life? This blog post will explore the benefits of trusting in God’s strength instead of your own. Discover how your faith in God can help you overcome challenges.
Trusting in God’s Strength Instead of Your Own
Football was never my choice of sport to watch. Basketball, yes! Baseball, yes! T
he Winter Olympics, yes! But with football, I could never wrap my head around the rules of the game. Without having a working knowledge of the sport, it felt overly complicated to me.
Changing the channel was a straightforward decision. However, God decided I needed a small adjustment and blessed me with a husband and son who are fanatics about football. In the early years of football watching, they would invite me to sit with them, only to uninvite me, twenty minutes later.
It was hard to be quiet and enjoy the game when you had questions.
Apparently, my talking was a little excessive for them.
What was I doing wrong?
In order to master the rules, I needed answers. I didn’t think my inquiries were unfit.
I honestly wanted to know who the coaches were talking to on their headsets. And who determined the team’s choice of uniforms? I didn’t find my questions to be problematic, but they sure did.
I learned when football was on, I would find myself busy doing chores around the house. At the end of my son’s seventh-grade year in school, he begged us to play football. I held off saying “yes” for as long as I could. I was worried that he would get hurt.
That is when I noticed that he would be the kid hurting other kids and not the other way around. I know, I just said that out loud, but it is the truth. Playing football comes with a lot of injuries.
During his first game, I was ready and prepared to be a supportive football mom.
I had my t-shirt on with snacks and water in hand. Then I was demoted. They stripped away my cowbell and I could no longer yell or cheer without going through my husband for approval. They determined that I was embarrassing.
How was I to know when I was cheering for my son, I was actually cheering for the other team? Could you imagine?
I blame them for this mess, since they never answered my questions.
(My son, Noah – age 14. My husband, Matt – age 44. HA HA!)
Driven to focus on physical strength
My son is now a sophomore in high school and plays on the varsity football team. I am super proud of him.
Though my questions have shifted, I stand in awe of his drive to remain physically fit. Every day I shuffle him, from practice to strength training.
When he has a random off day, I drive him to the football turf at school to get in extra practice with friends.
From repeated use, he developed tendonitis in his right knee.
It was hard for him to hear his coaches say he need to lay low for a few weeks to heal. Resting his muscles came with frustration.
His body spoke loudly in pain with each bend, but his mind spoke of the willpower to push through.
With a different set of circumstances, I found myself in the same position. With my paper calendar in hand, I began filling in the blanks with work-related tasks.
My motivation was to tackle and remove projects I kept putting off. I was claiming a productive month.
After my first week of working hard, I could not wait for the weekend.
My brain needed rest. Saturday and Sunday came and went. When it was time to get back to work, my brain said; “Not today.” And like my son, I felt I could push through.
The pain and fatigue we feel are indications that our bodies need rest.
When we are depleted in our physical and mental abilities, our hearts can displace the standards of God’s holiness. We begin to drop our prayer time or push aside reading our Bibles. By letting go of God, we are preventing the promise of His promises from showing up.
Isn’t this what we typically do? We adjust the balance of our time. Instead of resting in God’s presence, we replace it with our desire to strive.
Our world is obsessed with gaining strength, whether physical or mental.
In 1 Corinthians 3:18, Paul says; “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.”
The people of Corinth suffered from the same thought processes often seen today. Believing in self-sufficiency and a “you are what you think” attitude. This belief is known as stoicism.
The Stoics believed the path to having a good and happy life resided in virtue, and how we express virtue in our actions.
Paul was explaining how their worldly wisdom can and will hold them back from God’s strength.
There are considerable similarities in opinions that derived from ancient times to those living today.
We have motivational speakers who consume us with guidance to push us through life’s discomforts in order to make positive changes.
With repeating mantras of “You get what you focus on” and “I am doing this for me.” We take words and say them to ourselves when apathy sets in, instead of asking God to help us to persevere.
We also have a dedicated book, Guinness World Records, filled with people striving to be the ultimate record breaker. This book claims to make people officially amazing.
According to God, we are already exceptional. We are His masterpieces. Pushing to be the best in any category can cause disunity among believers.
After all, He created us with gifts to interact with others. No one individual, except for Jesus Christ, has all these gifts.
We need other members of the Body of Christ, with their unique gifts, to complement our own God-given gifts. The body of Christ is meant to work together.
Adopting Biblical wisdom
Non-Christians cannot understand God’s wisdom is best. This means they certainly have a hard time grasping the truth that God’s spirit lives in believers.
Choosing to live out of love daily and trusting that God’s plans are best are the greatest examples you share with others.
It doesn’t mean life, and all it comes with will be easy to navigate. Oh, no! This is why we must choose to be intentional with our time. Apart from God, we can do nothing.
When you give God your weakness, He will give you His Strength.
Jen Schreiner
God’s Strength;
- Gives wisdom.
- Helps us to persevere.
- Never tires.
I am so thankful God’s strength is not measured by the calories we consume, the REM cycles we have nightly, or by how much exercise we get done.
The strength we may want the most may not be the strength we need!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9.
LET’S PRAY TOGETHER FOR GOD’S STRENGTH
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank you that your mercies are new every morning. Help us to see your goodness as we work to glorify you. Please forgive us for taking on burdens we were not meant to carry. Lord, help us to put our trust in you as you guide us on our paths.
For when we are weak, you are strong.
All this we ask in your precious and Holy name, Jesus. – Amen!
READ MORE ON JEN SCHREINER
- Embracing Uncertainty – How to Deepen Our Relationship with God
- How to Move Forward When You Feel Stuck
- Recognizing Our True Enemy: A Call to Focus on Faith
- The Power of Godly Friendships – 5 Key Qualities
- Why Isn’t God Answering My Prayers
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