Is it just me, or do we often think the Lord creates strength in us out of our weakness? I mean that He makes us strong, but in a sense where we own the strength. Its my experience we may slide down this slippery slope more often than we think. We must be careful because if we think the strength is ours. This means we believe even if it is created by the Lord, we own it. It is of us. In the end, we get the glory for it because we own it. Or, rather, we are fooled into thinking we own it by our own sinful hearts and/or Satan’s influence. However, the Scriptures make it clear strength doesn’t work in this way. In the first chapter of Joshua, the Lord repeats the same refrain to Joshua multiple times:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. 

Joshua 1:9

Do you see the difference between what the Lord tells Joshua and the natural, default reaction of our heart? The Lord tells Joshua to be strong and courageous because He, the LORD, will be with him. God is not saying to Joshua, “I am going to create strength in you so you can do it.” On the contrary, he says, “You have nothing to be scared of, not because you can do it (don’t be foolish), but because I will do it.” The Lord doesn’t create strength from weakness. He displays his strength through our weakness. In our weakness the Lord shows his strength and goodness. Therefore, we don’t have to fear and we can have courage because He will be with us and show us His goodness. His mere presence is all the strength we need! He will do all things for us in order to display His glory in us. Be wary of the allure of pride that entices us to sin. The Lord doesn’t want to make you strong. He wants you to understand that your ‘strength’ is actually weakness compared to His strength.  He calls us to rely on His strength that He freely gives. In doing so, we point back to the Lord in times of strength and bring glory to His name. When Joshua led the people into the land of promise beyond the Jordan river, it wasn’t his strength that was displayed, but the Lord’s strength. In the end, it wasn’t Joshua that brought them across, but the Lord. The same Lord that brought Israel out of Egypt with “a strong hand.” May we be careful not to forget the Lord’s promises and may we be, “Strong and courageous… for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

-Justin