Men's Rosary

Strength. We all need it in every area of life. We are told all the time to be strong. We should be strong in our faith, our work ethic, our principles, our convictions, etc. This is fine and true, for the most part. What will separate success from failure is the source of the strength. Too often strength is sought after in people and things, and in ourselves. This is the path to failure. People and things are transient and we are weak. The perceived strength we find is really nothing at all other than a false feeling of security.

The true source of strength is God. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) The challenge is in letting go of the secular beliefs ingrained into our psyche from our youth and continue to be taught by “respected” life coaches, etc. We can subscribe to secular advice on habits that make us more productive, better leaders, and more successful. However, reaching these things is not strength in the real sense of the word. Many who reach high status fall hard because what they thought was strength was nothing that would sustain them. Things became difficult and what they looked to for strength abandoned them and they were left failing. God is permanent, he does not leave when things get hard or ugly. He does not leave us when others are against us. He does not turn his back on us no matter what we do. He is a true source of strength that will carry us through. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

It is important to consider that we do not find strength unless we are weak. We tend to run from the thought of being weak. Recognizing and accepting that we are weak builds dependency, opens us to God’s grace, and defines our purpose in life. We will find power and strength in and through our weakness, so we must embrace it. “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:29) In owning our nothingness and dependence on God, we can place everything in life in his hands to guide us. Most times, this will be contrary to the way of secular thought and belief, but it will be the way according to God’s will and not ours. It will be the result of the Holy Spirit acting in our life and not the prayers of what we want and think God should do for us or have us do for him. “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.” (Romans 8:26) We are the closest to God when we are weak.

God gave Christ to the Church and Christ gave himself to save us. “Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” (Galatians 1:4) Christ, who is one with the Father wanted the Church he founded, to be one with the Father through him. This is clear in the beautiful prayer of Christ to the Father found in John 17, especially in verses 21-22, when he asks that not only the disciples but those who believe in him through their words be one as he and the Father are one.

It makes sense then, that to be close to God the Father and receive strength from and through him we must be close to Christ and the Church. In all that we do, in any circumstance we find ourselves, we must hold fast to Jesus and the Church, for the two are inseparable. This is when and where the Holy Spirit will guide us in our decisions and actions. This is where we will find true strength, where we will not be let down, and where we will find peace even in the face of uncertainty.

“Lay all your cares about the future trustingly in God’s hands, and let yourself be guided by the Lord just like a little child.” (St. Edith Stein)