1 Chronicles 16

Do you ever feel weak? Powerless? Insecure? Quite honestly, with the world we live in, I can’t imagine how people don’t feel this way. There seems to be little solid ground to stand on. What can we count on these days? It seems that everywhere you turn, you find unrest, violence, hard times, and despair. The economy may be currently booming in America, but it feels like that could turn around at any time. Is there any true security? What can we really count on?

David says it in 1 Chronicles 16. The only thing we can really count on is God: "Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done." (vs 10-12) Here, David tells us to look to the Lord and His strength. Only He is strong. He is the only stable ground to stand on in a world of quicksand. And, in verse 12, David reminds us of one of the great ways to seek God’s strength: remember what He has done in the past.

I think it is so easy to get overwhelmed by the crisis of the moment. When we lose a job, run out of money, get a bad diagnosis, or suddenly lose a loved one, we are left feeling helpless and powerless. It is in those times when we come face to face with the reality that we don’t have much control over the day-to-day things that happen to us. We like to think we do, but often, we are powerless to do the things we really wish we could do in crisis situations.

So, what’s the answer? As David says, to remember that God is the One who is strong. We are helpless, but He is not. We are powerless, but He is not. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, we can choose to look to the Lord and His strength. We can choose to remember what He has done in our past and let that bolster our faith and hope in Him for the future.

Frankly, there’s no other way to have peace. So, stop trying to work things out in your own strength. You have none! Instead, look to God and remember that His strength is made perfect in your weakness. He is stronger than unemployment, inflation, and unrest. And He’s strong enough to bring you through, safe and sound, to the other side. Let the hearts of those who seek Him rejoice!