October 22
Strength
in Weakness
"But he said to me, ‘My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.’ So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ’s power can rest on me."
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIrV)
David lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his body aching with exhaustion even though he had done nothing. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome had stolen the life he once knew. Before, he had been active, working long hours, running with his kids in the park, laughing late into the night with his wife. Now, even standing for too long felt like running a marathon.
The worst part wasn’t the pain or the exhaustion—it was the helplessness. His family tried to be supportive, but he could see the weariness in his wife’s eyes as she managed everything alone. His children had stopped asking him to play, knowing he would only shake his head. He felt useless. A burden. Less than a man.
He had prayed for healing, begged God to restore his strength. But there was only silence. Had God forgotten him?
One evening, his wife sat beside him, her eyes soft with concern. “David,” she said gently, “you are still you. We love you, not for what you do, but for who you are.”
Tears welled up in his eyes. He had spent so long mourning what he had lost that he hadn’t seen what remained. He still had his family. He still had love. And even if he didn’t understand why this was happening, maybe—just maybe—God’s strength could carry him when his own failed.
That night, for the first time in a long time, he didn’t ask God to take his illness away. Instead, he whispered, “Lord, if this is my path, give me the strength to walk it.”
And in that moment, peace—small but real—began to take root in his weary heart.
Prayer:
Father,
I don’t always understand why suffering comes, but I trust that Your grace is enough.
When my strength fails, let me lean on You.
When I feel like a burden, remind me that I am loved.
Help me to find peace, even in the midst of struggle, and to know that Your power is made perfect in my weakness.
I surrender my fears, my frustrations, and my doubts to You. Carry me when I cannot carry myself.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
