The Strength of Two Men Will Never Compare

This week I was going to come on here and tell you what I thought and what my opinions were on what others perceived as strengths and weaknesses.  Then I had a thought...I know, I know thinking can be a dangerous thing, but the light bulb went off nonetheless!  I thought of using my Facebook page as platform for a small survey by presenting 2 questions. So, I thought we would start there...What I thought people would say and what they actually said kinda surprised me, take a look:

Question 1:

What is the first word that comes to your head/thoughts when you hear the word strength?

Answers:

Heart

Muscle

Joy

Power

Character

Fearless

Courage

Compassion

Jesus

Dad

Family

Survival

Mom

Stat ( I guess it's a game...lol)

Alpha

Question 2:

What is the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word weakness?

Answers:

Humble

Human

Flesh

Failure

Weak

Doubts

Anger

Lying

Fear

Sin

Before I continue, I would like to take a moment to personally thank everyone for taking out the time to answer these questions for me.  Whether it was presented in person, or posted on my Facebook page.  No answer was wrong and they actually opened my eyes to what others think.  I truly appreciate it and love you all.  

If any readers would like to leave an answer for both of these questions I would love to hear them, just leave them in the comment section below...

Now, I know what you are probably thinking, what does Chastity think when she hears the word strength and the word weakness?  Maybe I'll tell you and maybe I won't...just kidding I wouldn't be writing this blog if I wasn't going to tell you my thoughts...

When I hear the word strength I think of mental.  
When I hear the word weakness I think of heart.

Let me explain why, many times in my life I've had to be strong, but most of my strength was mental because the majority of my abuse was emotional.  Even after everything was said and done, my heart always loved too much, trusted too much and forgave too easily. To this day, it still does and sometimes I wish I could turn it off.  For this reason, my heart, to me, is my weakness because I always ended up in tears.

This year there was no exception.  Nor were the years prior, but this one started off with a bang.  My life literally flipped upside down. It wasn't just one thing that went wrong, everything that could go wrong in my life did.  I didn't know what to do, I felt lost and alone.  The one thing I did know was my life was going to go one of 2 ways, either I was going to end up in a mental institute for a nervous breakdown, or I just needed to finally give it over to God.  So, I vented, prayed and eventually decided  I was going to praise God during this storm.

At times it was easy, but I also had my road bumps.  My friends and family kept telling me how strong I was, but I didn't get that because I felt so weak.  I was so tired, emotionally and mentally drained.  It felt like a daily battle and still does to this day, so I have never been able to see me as strong.

Do not fear,for I am with you;  

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Though I felt weak, I knew God was there comforting me.  I knew He was listening to me cry out.  Finally, one day,  I just felt so drained from everything going on around me I just laid there and cried.  I felt paralyzed and no matter what I did I couldn't move.  Then I heard a small still voice whisper, "don't give up."  

The truth is, I wasn't giving up.  I just knew I couldn't go any further because I was too weak.  Our trials are made for us to endure (James 1:3) and I could endure no more.  So, I laid there.  It was only through God's strength and His grace  I was able to get up and push forward.  

Looking back on that day, I have come to and I'm starting to realize the strength people see in me, but the truth is it isn't me at all.  It's God's strength.   We are only able to endure the trials given to us by allowing God in during our weakest times to take control of our situation.  

I found this poem during one of my weakest points and today I would like to share it with you:

Asked God

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.

I was made weak that I might learn to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things.

I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.

I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.

I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.

I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing I asked for-but everything I had hoped for.

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

We all view things differently.  We all have weaknesses in life, but we also have strengths.  What I am strong in/at may be different than what you are strong in/at.  We all endure different things.  That's what makes us unique.  No two beings were created the same.  I often tell people if we were all made the same than it would make for one boring life, and let's face it, nobody likes boring!

The one thing, however, that remains the same is our strength doesn't lie in us, but with God.  He can and will give you the strength you need to endure anything you are facing at this moment, just like He did in the past and like He will do for you in the years to come. God is our biggest cheerleader, He will give you hope when there is none.  He will whisper to you, "don't give up" when you feel like throwing in the towel.  And when you feel like you can't face what you are going through anymore, He will encourage you and tell you, "yes you can." All you have to do is ask God and trust Him enough to lay it down.  So, choose today to fully give it to God and allow Him to be your strength during your time of weakness.

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in 

weakness."  Most gladly, therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with 

weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties,

for Christ's sake;  for when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10