Strength

“If you fail under pressure, your strength is not very great." Proverbs 24:10

"And then, I completely lost it." Have you ever told a story that contained that line before? I have. Typically, it ends with me apologizing to any number of people. The pressure of the moment was too much. Looking back, it would be more accurate to say that my strength was actually too little. 

The writer of this Proverb stated it clearly. When there is failure ... be it a blow-up, a moral collapse, or the fumbling of a wonderful opportunity ... the blame is not to be placed anywhere else. It's ours and ours alone. When we wilt under pressure, it's our lack of strength that needs to be addressed. Circumstances are just circumstances.

The antidote to our strength shortage? We must find strength from somewhere, from someone else. Consider Paul's triumphal statement, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." We need Jesus Strength! When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the same power that raised him from the dead is now at work within us. Are we living close enough to him that when the pressure rises, his strength carries us through to victory? 

Grace and Peace,

Tom Wiles
tom@fallcreekchristian.org

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