But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV
Have you ever reached a point in your life where you felt you gave everything, only to feel discouraged and on the verge of giving up? Life naturally brings situations that test our resolve, such as the pain of broken relationships or failures to achieve a set goal etc. We have all been there and, remarkably, so has Jesus Christ. The Bible records a moment in Gethsemane when Jesus was deeply troubled at the thought of dying on the cross. Experiencing human weakness, He prayed: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me" (Matthew 26:39). Discouragement is a human limitation every believer must navigate. It takes many forms, especially the urge to surrender. Yet, God promises that His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). What a comforting promise!
The Bible lets us know that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Satan’s trick is to push believers to the brink of giving up after they have labored. Peter is a prime example: he toiled all night without catching a thing. Yet, at the appearance of Jesus Christ, Peter picked himself up to give it one last shot (Luke 5:5). Jesus portrayed this same attitude in Gethsemane, resolving to let the Father's divine will be done over His own (Matthew 26:39). Beloved, just because you have toiled all night and caught nothing does not mean God has given up on you. Believers must learn to pick themselves up and keep the focus. So, God is counting on you to give it one more try in that your challenge today.
To live a victorious Christian life, believers must align themselves with the Father's will. Our primary resolve should always be to seek God's direction in every endeavor. To achieve this, we must take the following steps: 1. Pray for Guidance: Take our concerns to the Lord in prayer and allow Him to direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5–6, Psalm 32:8). 2. Learn from Failures: We must never fail to extract valuable lessons from every failure, treating every missed opportunity as a stepping stone. 3. Persevere in Faith: We must pick ourselves back up and try again. (Micah 7:8).
Beloved, know that God’s strength is made perfect in your weakness. He is counting on you to take that step of faith again today. HAPPY NEW MONTH!