Is your strength too small?
Life can be quite unpredictable. Who knows what challenges you might face in the future? Struggling finances. Conflict in relationships. Health challenges. Work issues. Will you have the strength to face the challenges that might come your way? There's an interesting proverb in the Bible that speaks to this very topic: "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small" (Prov. 24:10 ESV). According to the proverb, if a person "faints" when they meet challenges (adversity), it's an indication of something—that their "strength is small." They haven't built up enough strength to be able to overcome certain challenges that come their way.
It's like a runner who attempts to run a marathon—but he or she only started running a week ago. Obviously, that's not going to go very well. They're likely not going to finish the race because they don't have enough strength to do it. In fact, they might even literally faint from their attempt to do so. As many runners know, it takes a lot of time and effort to build up the capacity to go the distance of a marathon. Without the built up strength, finishing a marathon will be impossible.
I remember one day doing intense physical exercises at home. At the time, I hadn't exercised in months due to sheer laziness. At some point during the exercise, I remember having to stop. I literally thought that I was going to faint. This was an indication of something. I obviously didn't have the physical capacity to complete this kind of exercise. And that's because I had been neglecting to build up my strength for months. Today, I have no problem performing the same intense exercises. That's because I have been building up my strength over time and I now have the capacity to do them without issues.
Challenges in life (adversity) will come. Will you have the strength to get through them or will you faint or falter in the midst of them? You should consider preparing yourself now for whatever may arise in the future. You can prepare yourself today through spiritual exercises—prayer, Scripture, worship, and contemplation. These spiritual disciplines will help you build spiritual strength so that you can face the day of adversity and prevail when the time comes.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.