Ashamed of Weakness

The couple had come to me because of marriage problems. This was our first visit. The wife was discouraged with the marriage but appeared eager to work. She had some hope. Now the husband was a whole different story. Before he said one single word to me I knew he would rather be wrestling a 20 ft. anaconda than sitting in my office. His body posture screamed “I don’t want to be here! I don’t want to do this!” When he spoke his words confirmed this. Through tight lips and in a firm voice he said, “I don’t think we need help! We can work it out on our own! We just need more time!” The opposite was true. Their marriage was not going to survive if they refused help.
So why would this husband refuse to accept help when it was obvious that his marriage was not going to make? That’s what I want to talk to you about. My first reaction is that the husband’s response is not much different than my own. I really want to believe that I can make it just fine in life without anyone’s help. I want to believe that I have it all together. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m willing to help anyone at anytime. I am more than eager to do so. My problem is when the tables are turned and I’m the one who has to ask for help. I hate it when I am needy, deficient, weak, and helpless. Just saying the words turns my stomach. I want to scream out, “I am suppose to be strong! Weakness is never, ever acceptable! Never!”
Yet life has convinced me that I truly am weak, fragile, and needy. Now the verdict is in. All my questions have been answered. I can’t make life work on “my own.” I must have God and others. This brings me back to my original question, “Why would anyone refuse help when they know their life depends on it?”
I refused help because I could not tolerate my own weakness and was convinced that others would be no different. Guess what I found out? I am weak and so are you. We were designed to be weak. Neediness cannot be avoided no matter who you are. Let me explain what I mean.
God created us to “need” Him. Listen to the words of Jesus, “. . . for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5b). The word “nothing” arrested my attention. I would have been more comfortable if Jesus had said, “without Me you can do almost nothing.” Then I could have held out hope for some sense of self-sufficiency. But He said NOTHING! Life does not work a part from God.
In the book of Matthew (9:12) Jesus establishes this point one more time. He has just called Matthew to follow him and the religious leaders are shocked that Jesus would ever consider some low-life publican. Jesus had this to say to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” I believe Jesus is being cynical with the religious leaders. He knew all were infected by the dreaded disease of sin. Only those who will admit that they are sick and need the Great Physician can be His disciple. In other words, admitted neediness and weakness are prerequisites of ALL those who will be followers of Christ.
I invite you to join me as one who will no longer hide his or her weakness and dependency. Rather we will let God use our neediness to reveal his strength. God told the Apostle that His “strength was made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). May our honest embracing of our weakness draw others to our glorious Savior’s strength.