Help in Our Weakness

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An honest examination of one’s self will inevitably reveal the many flaws that characterize human beings in the present life. We are sluggish and sloppy, careless and calloused, ignorant and inadequate, negligent and needy. Yes, we are people fraught with weakness. Even believers, those who have been forever changed through the miracle of regeneration by the Holy Spirit (John 3:8), redeemed by the blood of Christ (Heb 9:12), and who are being kept by the power of God through faith (1 Pet 1:5), must readily confess the weakness of the flesh. Living the Christian life, we experience the tension that exists between the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’. The ‘already’ being that we have indeed been created anew through faith in Christ and thus are able to obey our Lord (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 5:25). The ‘not yet’ being the struggles we face in this life, clothed in earthly bodies and longing for future and final redemption (Rom 8:23).

What hope is there for the believer to endure while facing the reality of our weakness? To whom do we turn for help? God has given the believer many and precious promises in His holy Word, and we would do well to consider the promise He makes to help us in our weakness. In Romans 8:26, Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes, “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Not so long ago, I found myself wandering through a spiritual wasteland, my affections toward God were cold and I wondered with the psalmist, “How long, O Lord?” It is during times such as this that we are most keenly aware of our weakness and of our utter dependence upon God. We often are distressed in such a way that we do not even know what to pray or how to beseech our heavenly Father. Take heart, believer! The promise of our God is that His Spirit is interceding on our behalf in perfect accordance with His own will (Rom 8:27).

The present life is difficult. We are beset by the numerous weaknesses that dog our steps, but oh what great hope we have! The Spirit of the living God helps us in our weakness. Indeed, the hope we have that God will complete what He has begun in us is a sure and steadfast anchor of our soul (Phil 1:6; Heb 6:19).

Look to God! Look to God! Our Help from above,

Strength in our weakness, steadfast His love!

So often we’re weary and jostled about

Trust Him, believer, He’ll help you no doubt.

His promise to us, He never will leave

Hold fast, dear Christian! To Jesus now cleave.

-Blake Gerber