One day, I found myself overwhelmed by the weight of life’s challenges. My relationships were unraveling, and each passing day seemed to drain the hope from my heart. In the depths of despair and loneliness, I cried out to the Lord: “Help me, for I no longer know what to do.”
In these moments, life’s trials often drive us to our knees, forcing us to confront a humbling truth: we are nothing without God. Yet, this truth is hard for many to accept. We live in a world that teaches us to rely solely on ourselves, to work tirelessly for our achievements, and to trust no one but our own abilities. As we grow older, the disappointments of life harden our hearts, leading us to believe that everything depends on our efforts alone. This mindset, however, is deeply flawed.
The bible says, "In his pride, the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his thoughts, there is no room for God" (Psalm 10:4).
When we rely solely on ourselves, we fall into the trap of pride, believing that we are sufficient in our own strength and wisdom.
Even some Christians fall into this trap, attempting to blend faith in God with a relentless pursuit of earthly success. They trust in the Lord, yet find themselves consumed with anxiety about their lives, turning to God only when all other options have failed. But the road to God is a narrow one, filled with challenges that test our faith and trust in Him. These challenges are not meant to break us, but to transform us, guiding us toward humility and dependence on God.
When we face difficulties, we are often overwhelmed, realizing that many things are beyond our control. It is in these moments of helplessness that we truly understand our need for God. Despite our talents, skills, and achievements, we are powerless without Him. It is often in our darkest hours that we turn to the Lord, not out of desperation, but because we finally see the reality of our situation—we need Him.
Even as Christians, we can be guilty of self-reliance, believing that we somehow qualify for our salvation through our own efforts. But the truth is, we are saved by grace alone, through faith, and not by anything we have done.
As Ephesians 2:8 reminds us, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
Our salvation, like everything else in our lives, is a gift from God. Our talents, our loved ones, and even our very lives are all blessings from Him. We must acknowledge this truth and recognize that we are nothing without His grace.
As 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God."
In embracing our own nothingness, we submit our lives to the Lord and allow His will to guide us. This submission, far from being a sign of weakness, becomes our greatest strength.
As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "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."
Therefore, when we encounter challenges, we should view them as opportunities for transformation. These moments test our faith, teach us humility, and lead us to submit to God. In our nothingness, we find true gain. In our weakness, we discover true strength. Just as Paul delighted in his hardships, so too should we rejoice in our trials, for they bring us closer to God and make us stronger in His power.
In the end, the journey of faith is not about boasting in our strengths, but in recognizing our weaknesses and allowing God’s power to work through us. It is in this humble submission that we find the true essence of strength—one that is rooted not in our own abilities, but in the unshakable grace of God.