You are Not Strong Enough

You are not strong enough. If you have faith in God, you might also believe this to be true. Paul says in 2 Corinthians.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Even as Christ followers, it seems the "You are strong enough", ideology still creeps in and dictates our self-worth. We see many people around us handling life with a can-do attitude.

Even if we believe as Christians that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness, we don't often act or feel like it's true. It's hard to admit when we need help, we simply can't figure things out or that something isn't affecting us adversely. I'll be the first to say I have definitely struggled with this. Recently, God gave me a picture that imparted a grace to me that I needed so desperately in this season. I'm sharing today because maybe you need it too.

Setting the Scene

My hubby and I currently live in beautiful Orlando, Florida. It is lush and green, full of tropical plants like palm trees and birds of paradise. It's humid most of the year, I love it! Most other people think I'm crazy, but that's a story for another day. Our weather is warm most of the year; we only get a few really hot days, which usually contain an afternoon storm that cools everything down again. The sunsets are magnificent, and it's teeming with wildlife. We have both Disney and Universal here and think they are beautiful too!

Every year, there is a cold snap that usually happens between December and February. Usually it lasts for a couple of weeks. Floridians break out their parkas, UGG boots, and mostly stay indoors. Before you know it, it's over, and we are back to floating in the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon.

This year was different. The cold lasted for over a month, dipping into freezing temps every night. This wreaked havoc on our lush green tropical plants. Think rows of completely brown palm trees and other tropical bushes and plants. Even at Disney, where top dollar is spent to keep things looking magical, dead plants everywhere you turn. It was tragic. The plants weren't strong enough.

The Plants weren't strong enough

We live in a beautiful little apartment complex, which was no exception to the devastation of the cold. My hubby and I were on the elliptical one morning, and I was staring straight at this once beautiful and strong tropical plant. God told me I was just like it.

While the plant was originally planted in an environment it was created for and even thrived in for years on end, everything suddenly, without warning, changed. Can you relate? It gave a good fight, and it didn't die right away, but after too long, it just couldn't make it. It was not strong enough.

Was God mad at this creation of His? Was God surprised it wasn't strong enough? Of course not, He created it, and it's perfect environment.

We are not strong enough

God created us for Eden. His original environment for us was perfect. We now contend with a broken world, and we live with the effects of it. Our minds, bodies, and spirits were not created to withstand it. We are not strong enough.

Is God mad when He sees us buckle under the weight and pressures of this broken world? No. Is God surprised when we wither and need respite? No. This image imparted God's grace to me right when I needed it.

He was not surprised I had been struggling with the weight of unexpected circumstances. Burdens of people you thought were safe and proved not to be, the stress of having jobs and not having jobs while navigating the emotions that come with it, and a waiting season where hopes continue to be challenged.

He is Strong Enough

I am a Pollyanna, look for the best in people and situations type of person, and I like that about me. I trust God for His plan and have seen Him move mountains I never thought possible and real-life miracles right before my eyes. But the enemy had enticed me to take on burdens I was never meant to bear, things I wasn't strong enough to carry on my own, and worse, feel shame for letting it deplete me.

If you find yourself in a similar place, I want to remind you. You aren't alone. It's ok when broken things make you sad. When injustices to you and those you love make you angry. You are betrayed, and it wrecks you. When there is evidence in your life that you are dealing with a hard season. You were not created to live in this environment. You were not created to pretend it has no effect on you.

The Good News

You aren't alone; seasons and circumstances change. If your leaves are brown and withered, know God isn't mad that you couldn't handle it. He is here for you, ready to prune away the dead and grow something new in its place. Just remember, you aren't strong enough, but He is!

'1Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,Until these calamities have passed by.'

Psalms 57:1