The Comeback Kid… No Thanks
By Dawn Whitmore
Friday, June 9, 2017
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My Strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly I will boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV
It has been about five years, yet I can remember it like yesterday, the comment was innocuous but it burned in me. What was spoken that upset me so greatly?
Truly, the person meant their words to be an encouragement, however they had the opposite effect. Her words, “Remember, everyone loves a comeback story.”
After my struggle, it seemed everyone was watching me. They were waiting for me, the strong one…to become the “Comeback Kid.” To share how God brought me through and how I was stronger than ever. There is one truth in all of this…God brought me through.
Without Him, I wouldn’t be here today. You see, being strong all the time is what brought me to my knees in the first place. My question over time became, why would I want to go back?
My conflict taught me one thing that Paul already knew: being strong isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Our world has it backwards, they scream the battle cry: Only the strong shall survive.
But, let’s not be too hard on them, as we do the same thing. What about these: Keep your head up; God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers; God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.
We propagate these views on a regular basis. Each time, we put these ‘cutesy’ statements, or others, as comments on someone’s social media. We unknowingly inform them weakness is wrong. I call ‘Phooey!!”
Instead, how about sharing with them Luke 22:44, “And being in agony He (Jesus) was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”
My decision to give up the notion of being strong would be life changing. It has become a defining point in my walk with Jesus. It has become the simple fact of knowing, “God’s grace is sufficient” for everything. It is no longer about Dawn being the strongest person in the room.
Being there for everyone. Fixing their problems. Instead, it is about listening and not fixing; telling them it is okay to be weak, to struggle, and to cry: even when we know He is in control of all things.
It is about living a full life knowing who we are in Jesus even on the days we don’t feel it.
Therefore, today, can we stand and speak in agreement? Jesus is the one who walks with us each and every day. We are always His Child and He is in control.
Do I have bad days? Yes, but we are still His Child. Do we have to be the strongest person in the room? No, for we understand what Paul means, in 2 Corinthians when he says, “His (Jesus) Strength is made perfect in weakness.”
We can quit killing ourselves trying to be strong and let JESUS be the STRONG ONE.
Lord, today may we not worry about being the comeback kid or being the strongest one in the room. Instead can we admit, it is about living a life knowing that Jesus is fully and completely for me? He works in me each day. May I remember each day to follow His lead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2017 by Dawn Whitmore. All rights reserved.
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