The second portion of what God is saying to us is that His power is made perfect in our weakness. Sometimes we read verses like this and do not properly reflect upon what they should speak into our lives. As usual, God is in opposition to the way the world thinks. Man despises weakness. God desires it. Man craves power but only God possesses it. We all want to walk in the power of God. That power would be able to deliver us from the temptations we face every day in this world. It would comfort us in our pain. It would ensure that every step we take we take under the shadow of the Almighty. But that power is ever so elusive because as it becomes manifest, we again face our pride. Once the Judge Gideon was facing a Midianite army the size of 120,000. He had an army of 32,000 men. That sounds like pretty bad odds no? The world would say that Gideon didn't have a chance! God however always thinks differently:
The L ord said to Gideon, "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Judges 7: 2 (NLT)
You have too many warriors! God was telling Gideon "you're not weak enough for my power to be made manifest." So God goes about whittling Gideon's army down to 300 men. Now it is 120,000 versus 300. Here was the assurance of God to Gideon:
The L ord told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home." Judges 7: 7 (NLT)
What are you relying on today to help you through the trials or pain you are facing? Do you rely upon your friends to often? Do you rely upon medication? Do you rely upon anything else this world will offer you instead of the grace of the God you serve? God is saying to you today that He will rescue you. He will give you the victory over the Midianite army that seems to be marching against your soul. But what He has provided you with is all you need send the others home. Send home the solutions of this world that want you to learn how to cope with your problems. Coping means living with them! God didn't want Gideon living with the Midianites! He wanted to give him victory over them! You may have 32,000 logical worldly solutions but in the end it is only the grace of God that will deliver you. He is trying to whittle down your excuses. He is trying to whittle down your rationalizations. He is trying to whittle down your defenses. Because once he accomplishes that and you are left broken before Him, then you will see His power in your life. Then will the veil be lifted and the pains subside. In your weakness resides the power of God in your life. But we resist being weak so much. We resist being broken so much. Because when we are truly broken there is nothing left hidden. Everything we are uncomfortable bringing to God is laid bare before Him. And to our great amazement, His grace will even cover that as well.
That is where we find our key verses today. The Psalmist is clearly experiencing the agony we all go through in our lives. Troubles? Yes many and bitter. Christianity is not the promise of avoiding trouble but the assurance that we can get through them. The promises of the world are fleeting and set in sand, shifting by which way the wind goes. But we serve this God:
"From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done." Isaiah 43: 13 (NLT)
That is why the Psalmist says that even though the troubles we have been made to see are many and bitter God will restore his life again. No matter what valley you find yourself in today God will restore you once you stop trying to figure out how to get out and start accepting why you are there. You do not need to search for the way out because God is always the way through.
The key verses conclude by assuring us that it doesn't matter how deep the problem is that we are facing. It doesn't matter how wide that valley appears. God will reach down to the depths of the earth to bring you up again. He will increase your honor in doing so and provide the comfort that we so desperately seek. And that is the final point today. Where do we seek comfort in the storm? The dictionary defines comfort as "to sooth, console, or reassure." Where do we seek our soothing, our consolation, and our reassurances?
They are not found in the promises of this world beloved. They are only found within our very weakness. When we are so weak before God that He can be strong in our lives. His grace will always be sufficient if we allow it to be so. So no matter what pain you are dealing with today, remember that God is always aware. He collects those tears that fall and will not waste the hurt. He is pruning you. He is refining you. He has another level that He wants to take you to. But maybe he has to remove some things from your life first. Maybe He needs to remove some people from your life. Maybe He needs to break you before He can reach down to the depths of the earth to bring you back up and comfort you. Don't look for the way out. Look up and see the way through.
Reverend Anthony Wade July 19, 2011
