When You’re Weary, Where Do You Find Strength?
Finding Strength in our Weakness
Life can be hard. We all experience times of difficulty, suffering, and weakness. During these seasons, it’s tempting to want to give up or walk away from faith.
But that’s when we need endurance the most. We have to cling to truth and keep moving forward, even when we feel like throwing in the towel. The book of Hebrews was written to Christians facing persecution, and the author encourages them to not lose heart. His timeless words provide wisdom for anyone struggling through a tough season.
Even when you feel distant from God or question what you believe, remember that Jesus understands your pain. He experienced the full spectrum of human emotions and was tempted in every way, yet never sinned. Jesus’ empathy equips him to be the perfect high priest, interceding for us before God.
Some days our feelings lie to us and it’s hard to trust that God still loves us. But feelings are fickle; we can’t base our beliefs solely on emotions. That’s why a faith anchored in truth is so vital. When we’re worn down, Biblical truths stabilize us – reminding us of God’s unchanging character and the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice.
Confessions of faith provide an anchor during storms. Baptism is a physical confession that we’re clothed with Christ’s righteousness. Creeds reinforce key doctrines. Hymns and songs plant scriptural truths deep in our hearts. Regularly immersing ourselves in expressions of belief counteracts secular narratives vying for control over our mindset.
Even when sin weighs heavily on our conscience, we can boldly approach God’s throne of grace. We don’t have to clean ourselves up first or make excuses. Jesus already paid the price for our forgiveness. He perfectly represents us to the Father as our great High Priest.
God’s throne is not for judgement but for mercy. We obtain compassion and find strength in our moment of need. Grace provides what we don’t deserve – rescue from the pit through no effort of our own. It operates in sync with justice, as Christ’s sacrifice fully satisfies God’s wrath.
Approaching God’s throne requires humility. It means admitting we need help and can’t do this on our own. We lay down our pride and false sense of control. But humility is not the same as shame. Shame says, “Something is fundamentally wrong with me.” Humility says, “I have intrinsic worth as God’s creation, but I also have brokenness needing redemption.”
Our culture pushes many false narratives about identity that fuel shame. That worth comes from what we have, what we do, other’s opinions, or our best moments. Shame keeps us hiding, performing, and striving. But in Christ, we’re fully known and fully loved. We don’t have to earn something we already have. His death and resurrection secure our place in God’s family.
Though shame traps us in cycles of fear and hiding, grace sets us free to take risks. We can be open and honest with God, others, and ourselves. We can live authentically without pretense. His love liberates us to live boldly and empathize deeply.
Empathy starts with getting in touch with our own brokenness and need for grace. We realize our shared humanness transcends outward differences. Pain has a way of softening our hearts toward the struggles of others. Choosing compassion over judgement cultivates emotional health.
Jesus perfectly understands our pain and meets us in our humanity. He draws near to us so we can draw near to him – continually exchanging our false narratives for his steadfast truth. We find mercy, grace and strength for each day by fixing our eyes on the sympathetic Savior at the Father’s side. And we become gifts of grace for our broken world.