Staying Strong
The 'J' in strength
Have we forgotten how to be strong?
In seeking to be strong in my faith, in my convictions, in the season of life I find myself in, I often turn to everything else but God Himself. I turn to prayer, to scripture, to expressions of worship, to practising rest. None of these things are wrong, and I can be strengthened by them. They are a means through which strength can come, but they are not the end.
The lasting strength I need comes from joy in Christ alone.
‘The Lord is my strength and my song
He has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.’ ( Exodus 15:2 CSB)
I know I am growing stronger when I can say that He is my strength, He is my salvation. When I can see God for who He is, no matter what is happening in my life and still say from my heart that I will praise and exalt Him.
As Nehemiah reminded the Israelites; the joy of the Lord is our strength -but where do we find that joy?
It is disappointingly easy to search for joy in all the wrong places. I wonder if the weakened state of the church in certain parts of the affluent world originates from a lack of genuine joy in the things of God.
Is there more joy in being seen to be culturally relevant? In having influence? In dodging persecution of any kind by abandoning what is good, true and beautiful?
Many persecuted believers around the world exemplify strength and resilience in the face of widespread evil and brutality. Could their extraordinary strength lie in the fact that their joy is in God alone? They have no external or peripheral ‘joys’ to distract them, they don’t have light entertainment and social capital to dull them into settling for a counterfeit joy. When you lose everything, Christ becomes your life, and you are strengthened by Him in His glory.
Jesus left us His peace, and He also left us His joy. In John 15 and 17 He reiterates that the words He shared with His disciples were to ensure that His joy would be in them, so that their joy would be complete. Jesus wants a strong body of people, strengthened not by self and self sufficiency but by joy in Him.
‘I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.’ (John 15:11 CSB)
‘Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them.’ (John 17:13 CSB)
It should not be surprising to me that I feel weak when I ruminate on what is wrong in me, what is wrong with the world and what is wrong in the church. When I am devoted to my devotions… but somehow miss the overwhelming beauty of the One to whom those devotions are dedicated.
‘Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.’ (Acts 2:46-47 CSB)
We may be devoted to meeting with fellow believers on a regular basis, but how often are our hearts far away from one another? Are our hearts joyful and sincere when we praise God together? This is a challenge, and a call to strengthen ourselves in the Lord whenever we do gather to worship.
For the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. If we do not experience or receive His joy, we might not endure the fiery trials that blindside us.
I will be strengthened as I find joy in the God who is Wonderful Counsellor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is Light and Life and The Way. He is Creator and Sustainer. He is Gracious and Merciful, Slow to Anger and Abounding in Love. His Mercies are New Every Morning. He has promised to wipe away every tear from our eyes at the end. He is Faithful and True.
In our weakness we can take comfort in Christ. He is able to keep us from stumbling, to strengthen us so we can stand in His presence without blemish and with great joy.
Joy will make us strong. Strength and beauty are in His dwelling place.