My Weakness

“Also I said, This is my weakness...” (Psalm 77:10).

As time goes by, we come to realize more and more how fragile human beings are. Especially in the midst of adversity and suffering, we feel our weakness very deeply. The greater and more overwhelming the adversity and suffering that we cannot handle, the more we are painfully aware of how powerless we are. So, what should we do at such times?

Today, in Psalm 77:10, the psalmist Asaph acknowledges his weakness. He expressed his weakness in four ways (verses 1–9).

First, Asaph was anxious and troubled.

Look at the first half of Psalm 77:3: “When I remembered God, I was troubled, and my spirit was overwhelmed.” This world is truly full of distressing and sorrowful things (Hymn 474). There are also countless things that cause us anxiety. Why do people feel anxious? One reason is that they are abandoned by those they love. Especially for us Christians, anxiety often comes from feeling abandoned by our beloved God (Psalm 43:2). In today’s passage, Asaph sought the Lord “in the day of my trouble” (Psalm 77:2), but perhaps because God’s response was delayed, he was troubled and anxious. A troubled and anxious heart is truly a weak heart.

Second, Asaph’s spirit was broken.

Look at the second half of Psalm 77:3: “...my spirit was broken (Selah).” On the day of his trouble, overwhelmed by anxiety and distress, Asaph’s spirit was broken. Therefore, he could not sleep and suffered so much that he could not speak (verse 4). When a person is deeply distressed, they cannot sleep or even speak. I still remember when I was struggling in ministry and went about three weeks without proper sleep. I also remember experiencing such extreme stress that I couldn’t eat even when food was in front of me. Many people suffer so much that they cannot sleep or eat properly. If we say to someone we love, “I have been troubled lately,” it might not be the deepest kind of suffering. Some suffering is so deep that it cannot be expressed in words. Such suffering makes us silent—not only before people but also before God. Suffering wounds our spirit. And a broken spirit is a weak spirit.

Third, Asaph refused to be comforted.

Look at the latter half of Psalm 77:2: “… my soul refused to be comforted.” Asaph was in such distress that he refused comfort. In anxiety and sorrow, unable to sleep and too anguished to speak, Asaph’s spirit was so broken that he rejected consolation. This reminds me of Job. Job, who was in extreme pain and suffering, and his friends who came to comfort him—but Job called them “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2). When a person is in such deep agony and intense pain, they do not want to be comforted by anyone, because they believe no one can truly comfort them. This sometimes happens in our own lives. Believing that only God can truly comfort me, the person refuses consolation from anyone else. Those who refuse comfort are people in weakness.

Fourth, Asaph doubted God.

Look at Psalm 77:7-9: “Will the Lord reject forever? And will He never show His mercy again? Has His kindness ceased forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger withheld His compassion? (Selah).” Asaph cried out to God in his trouble, but when no answer came, his heart and spirit grew weak. Therefore, in this weakness, Asaph began to doubt God’s salvation. In other words, his assurance of salvation was shaken. This insecurity indicates a weakened heart. A weakened heart has two thoughts: one seems to believe in God, while the other harbors distrust toward Him. Ultimately, anxiety, worry, a broken spirit, and refusal to be comforted inevitably allow disbelief to sprout.

What should we do when we are this weak?

First, we must remember the ancient deeds of God.

Look at the first half of Psalm 77:11: “I will remember the deeds of the Lord...” When we are very troubled and our hearts heavy, in our weakness we should recall the saving grace God has shown us in the past. Personally, when I face hardship and difficulty, I often think of my first baby, Ju-Young, who died in my arms. This is because I have not yet experienced pain as great as that. However, there is no longer pain in my heart—only the grace and love God showed to my wife and me remain in our hearts. Therefore, I remember. And I commemorate. When I remember and commemorate the grace and love God showed then, even amid the current painful and difficult situation, I experience my weakened heart and spirit being revived. I regain strength. When I remember and commemorate, God’s power appears in my weakness.

Second, we must declare the works God has done.

Look at the second half of Psalm 77:11: “… I will declare the works of the Lord.” We should not only remember what God has done in the past but also declare it. Sometimes older people ask me why I still talk about my first baby, Ju-Young. Nevertheless, I sometimes share Ju-Young’s story even during sermons. The reason is that I want to share the grace and love that God showed us at that time through Ju-Young. Since Ju-Young’s name means “seeing the Lord’s glory,” I want to praise that Lord. If the Lord had not been with us, neither my wife nor I could have overcome those times. Therefore, I remember and share what God did in our lives during Ju-Young’s time. When we remember and share the works God has done in the past, we experience God’s work strengthening our weak hearts.

Third, we must deeply meditate on all the works of the Lord.

Look at Psalm 77:12: “I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.” In his time of distress and weakness, Asaph remembered God’s ancient works and declared them, meditating not only on the past but also on the God who works broadly even now in the midst of present troubles. In reality, when we focus only on the painful circumstances we face in weakness, we fail to see what God is doing. But when we focus on the works God has done in the past, we come to believe that the same God is working today, and with that faith, we see the Lord’s deeds. However, Asaph did not stop there; he also deeply thought about and meditated on the works God will do in the future. This kind of meditation is a deep meditation that cannot be done without faith in the Lord. It is only possible through faith. This is the secret to overcoming our weakness. When we deeply meditate on all of God’s works (deeds), we can overcome our weakness.

As time passes, our bodies grow weaker, and there are many times we struggle amid anxiety and worry. In such times, sleepless nights increase, and we are tormented by pains that cannot be put into words. When our spirit is broken, we earnestly seek God, but when we think His response is slow, we doubt and sometimes refuse comfort from anyone. At such times, we must remember God’s ancient works. We must meditate on what He has done and declare it. Furthermore, I pray that as we deeply meditate on all the works God has done, we will overcome our weakness.

Enjoying God’s abundant grace and love that gives strength when weak,

Pastor James
(Praying for a deeper understanding of one’s own incapacity and powerlessness)