She was in anguish. There seemed to be no end in sight. Like the apostle Paul, she begged God for the thorn to go away, for her chronic suffering to disappear. She read books that encouraged her to muster up her brave, to declare she is enough and an overcomer, to figure out ways she could manage everything victoriously.
In her heart, she knew it was all a lie. Her silent-buried groans, behind the plastic smile of “I’m victorious” were “I’m drowning. I’m weak. I’m failing. I’m not enough. I can’t.”
Underneath her veneer, her affliction made her feel completely overwhelmed, beyond her strength. She was beginning to despair of life itself (2 Cor. 1:8).
Jesus gently calmed her by His Word.
She fixed her eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of her faith (Heb. 12:2), and sought soul-rest in the gracious gift of His powerful strength. Let’s rest together, beloved in Christ, as we look to Him in a “call and response” moment of prayer, Scripture, and song.
Jesus, I am resting, resting
in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
of thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon thee,
as thy beauty fills my soul,
for by thy transforming power,
thou hast made me whole.
(“Jesus, I am Resting, Resting,” Pigott, Jean Sophia, 1876)
You are the source of my strength
Jesus, You never faltered, suffering the deepest agony as You fulfilled all of our Father’s just punishment for my sin. Your powerful and strong love shown to me at the cross is the same power-full love that indwells me today by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9). When this world’s evil torments me, please hold me up with Your promised strength.
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might (Eph. 6:10 ESV).
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (I Jn. 4:4b ESV).
Your grace is sufficient for me
Jesus, You disarmed and triumphed over evil at the cross (Col. 2:15) and now YOU are my source of powerful strength against the spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:12). By Your amazing grace, You rescued me in everlasting loving-kindness and now, by continual grace, You give me your unfailing strength. I’m not enough, but YOU are.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20 ESV).
O how great thy lovingkindness,
vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvelous thy goodness
lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in thee, Beloved,
know what wealth of grace is thine,
know thy certainty of promise
and have made it mine.
Simply trusting thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold thee as thou art,
and thy love, so pure, so changeless,
satisfies my heart;
satisfies its deepest longings,
meets, supplies its ev’ry need,
compasseth me round with blessings:
thine is love indeed.
I’m fixing my hope in Your gift of yesterday’s, today’s, and tomorrow’s grace as I eagerly wait to see You in person. Lord, I trust You to strengthen me in my wait today, in my affliction, in my weary and weak.
Your power is made perfect in weakness
Father, is this a time of strength training? It feels like I’m carrying around weights that are far too heavy. I’ve been buckling under the pain.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt. 11:28-30 ESV).
This strengthening? It’s all Your gift, Lord. It’s all grace from Your gentle heart toward me. I am indeed weak but You are strong and You are perfecting me, sanctifying me, growing me into Your holiness, strengthening my faith through this trial. Bring me close to You. Please give me words to pray, Scriptures to strengthen and comfort me, enabling me to walk in rest with You. Help me to be content in today’s weakness as You fill me with Your grace.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26 ESV).
Ever lift thy face upon me
as I work and wait for thee;
resting ‘neath thy smile, Lord Jesus,
earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
sunshine of my Father’s face,
keep me ever trusting, resting,
fill me with thy grace.
In the powerful, gentle, loving name of Jesus Christ, our Savior forever. Amen.
Beloved in Christ, this is my story and song today. Would you like a YouTube playlist of songs I’ve created to accompany this worship moment? It’s a gift I’ve specifically designed to give you lyrics to sing, pray, praise, and believe as you rest in our hope in Christ, singing of His grace and His strength, during your suffering. Sign up here if you’d like it in your inbox, to memorize during times of personal worship, as you cling to His perfect strength in this week’s weakness.
