Sunday, August 14, 2011

Matthew West - Strong Enough (2011 Video & Lyrics)

Matthew West - Strong Enough (2011 Video & Lyrics)

The 1st time I heard this song, honestly, I thought this dude was whining, and the "I'm not strong enough to be everything that I'm supposed to be; I give up" line really irked me. "I give up"??? What about when the Apostle Paul said "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” I felt that to say 'I give up' meant that I was failing the Lord and refusing to even attempt to do the right thing. I should have listened more attentively, because this song could have been the theme song of my life for the past few weeks. Matthew West goes on to say, "...hands of mercy, won't you cover me, Lord, right now, I'm asking you to be strong enough for both of us." Indeed, He is strong enough.

Those who know me will all agree I've got a REALLY hard head...once I've made up my mind, it takes an act of God and the jaws of life to dislodge whatever notion I've concocted. I've never understood when people have told me to "Let go and let God". I think I might understand now.

When my son was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes this Summer, I was devastated. It was all I could do not to go into panic mode while he was in the hospital. It was excruciating listening to him cry when he had to have his blood glucose levels tested, insulin injections, or one of the countless blood draws the doctors ordered. The only thing that got me through was God. I was terrified. I remember thinking about whether or not I should be angry at God, since when crappy things happen, that is where I usually go. Nope. Not this time. I quickly decided that it was probably not productive, since He was my life raft in this horrid storm after the ship wreck! Only recently did it occur to me (while hearing this song on Air1 [Christian radio station]) that He has been the one keeping me afloat ALL ALONG. HIS strength is made perfect when I am weak, HIS grace is sufficient. It's only taken me almost 30 years, but I think I've finally let go of the idea that I can do it on my own.

Lord, I give up. Please help me to trust in your grace, mercy, and strength, and bring to my remembrance in times of doubt that I can do all things through you, Christ Jesus.