Weak Made Strong

“I am young and I do not know how to speak Lord!” This is the very same line that Prophet Jeremiah told God when he was commissioned to be God’s prophet. “Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” -Jeremiah 1:7. You may have felt like Jeremiah. I do for many, many times in my life. I feel afraid to speak and I refuse to speak out about God and His goodness because of the same reason. I feel like how can these people listen to me when I am only young. Will they even believe me even if I am younger than them? Doubts fill my thoughts. Honestly speaking, like Jeremiah, this reason of being young hindered me on many occasions in my life to openly share God’s truth to others and especially to those who are older than me.

Your limitation is an opportunity for God’s working of grace in your life. What was God’s response to Jeremiah? God said, “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’” -Jeremiah 1:7-10. You need not fear. It may be natural for doubts to wander in your mind but realize that in your weakness, God’s grace is made perfect. Paul said this, “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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9. God assured Jeremiah that his youthfulness does not matter at all. God has put His Word on Jeremiah’s lips and set him over nations and kingdoms. In God, your weakness can be turned into strength. Take a look at another man from way, way back when the Jews were under Egyptian rule. Yes, no other than, Moses. He too was called by God to be the leader of the Jews to deliver them from Pharaoh. Yet, when He was called by God, He gave all the reasons he could think of as to why he could not do it. “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” -Exodus 4:1. “But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” -Exodus 4:10. Interestingly, God responded to Moses much in the same way as He responded to Jeremiah. “Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” -Exodus 4:11-12. God was simply saying to both Moses and Jeremiah that their worry of their speech or their inability to speak is not a problem at all. His grace looked beyond their limitations and turned their situation into a possibility for His glory. God’s grace made a way for Jeremiah and for Moses to overcome their limitation. Yes, God provided Moses with a way for each limitation he sees. But still, Moses finally, told God, “But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” -Exodus 4:13. That is when God finally got angry with Moses. But take note of God’s response to Moses even in His anger. “Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.” -Exodus 4:14-15. At this point, God was angry at Moses but His grace does not depart. He still provided a way for Moses to enable him to speak just like how He also made a way for Jeremiah. God did not stomped out in anger in the middle of their conversation and treated Moses with cold shoulder. Even in His anger He made a way for Moses.You may have a lot of reasons or excuses why you cannot simply speak to others about God. You may have doubts in your ability to obey what God has been convicting you to do. Learn from the experience of Jeremiah and Moses. The truth is that God has all the means to make you able to do His will. Fear and doubt may surface, but God provides comfort and a way for you. When God calls you to do something, you may see your weakness or limitation loom bigger than the mission God has called you to do. You may act like Jeremiah or Moses who saw the weakness first than see the mighty God who is able to help and make things happen. But always remember, when God is with you, your weakness becomes strength. His grace always abounds. His mercies never end. His faithfulness never fails. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:22-23. Where you see as an impossibility, God sees as possibility. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew `19:26. Respond with obedience, faith, and confidence in God for the work He calls you to do.