His Power in Your Weakest Moments - Your Nightly Prayer - August 21

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Your Nightly Prayer

His Power in Your Weakest Moments
Your Nightly Prayer
by Clarence Haynes Jr.

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

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. - 2 Corinthians 12:9

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Back in college, I hit the gym for the first time, and I still vividly remember the first day. Walking into the gym and seeing the equipment, I really had no idea what I was doing, but that didn’t stop me. I jumped on the bench press and started lifting, giving it everything I had. No warm-up set, no stretching, no trainer, but I attacked those weights with my passion and the bliss that comes from a lack of knowledge. After I was done, I walked out that day sore, but I felt like I had accomplished something. Then day two arrived.

I went back to the same bench. Put on the same amount of weight, but clearly something had changed. I couldn’t lift it. Forget lifting it, I couldn’t even move the bar. The bar that I pressed with ease the day before suddenly felt like it was glued in place. From lifting 180 pounds, I had to drop all the way down to ninety pounds. I felt embarrassed thinking, how could I go from being so strong to being so weak? What I didn’t realize was that the moment of weakness would become the starting point for developing actual strength. Over time, I grew stronger and eventually surpassed what I could do on day one. But I didn’t grow because I stayed strong. I grew because I got honest about where I was weak.

There is something about God’s strength I want you to focus on. God’s power doesn't kick in when you think you are strong. His power shows up when you know you are weak. The problem is we don’t like admitting weakness. When you walk with Jesus long enough, you may think, “I should be over this by now, or I should be better than this.” The problem is you may not be and the choices you make in those moments will determine if you position yourself for strength or continue growing weaker. The way you grow stronger in Christ is not by hiding your weakness, but by acknowledging it. When that happens, then what could be a liability can become a launching pad because you are no longer depending on your own strength. This is the message that Paul understood.

He recognized that the key to having all the strength you need is by realizing you don’t have any. This was not something to be ashamed of, but something he boasted about. When he went before the Lord, he didn’t have to pretend to be strong, but he could cry out to God in his weakness. The moment Paul realized I can’t do this without you was the moment God’s grace came rushing in to help him. The same is true for you. If you feel weak right now, then congratulations, because you are now exactly where you need to be to find God’s power to help you. The good news is that all you have to do is ask for it.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Lord,
Tonight, I give up. I have tried so hard to present myself as strong to those around me and even to convince myself. In these moments, I act like I have it all together, and I don’t, and I am tired. I am tired of trying to carry what you never wanted me to carry, and that’s why I come to you. Not from any place of strength, but from feeling the overwhelming weakness that lives in me. I lay myself down and cling to your promise that your grace would be sufficient for me and that when I am weak, then I will be strong. Today, I confess my weakness and surrender it as I look to you to find the strength I need. Help me take the pressure off and rest in my weakness, knowing that my strength comes from you. Thank you for the strength that comes from your grace and is born out of my weakness.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Weakness is not your shame but your signal that you need God’s help.

2. Faking your strength does not make you stronger, but acknowledging your weakness before the Lord does.

3. God’s grace does not require you to perform. It requires you to be honest.

Clarence Haynes 1200x1200 Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.