Pressure

As I was reading my Bible a moment ago I came across Proverbs 24:10, “If you fail under pressure your strength is too small.” It is really blunt and it got my attention. In the past year or so, especially when starting new jobs I’ve seen something about myself—I don’t handle pressure well.

As frustrating as it is to me (and I’m sure to those around me) I have a tendency to get stressed under pressure. There are times that I have failed under pressure and my strength has indeed felt too small. Proverbs 24:10 is so blunt and unfortunately fails to give hope to those with strength that is too small. So as I was sitting here thinking “I’ve failed under pressure. My strength is too small. I failed…” I thought forward to the New Testament.

2 Corinthians 12:9,10 says “Each time He said “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses s, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecution, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

On my own, I fail. On my own I give into pressure and get stressed because my strength is too small. But it’s not about me or the things I lack because Christ lives in me. I fail under pressure, it is only because I fail to rest in Him and draw my strength from Him. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Even under a heavy burden, if we will give it Jesus not only will He ease the burden but He will also give us rest.  Why keep stay under the pressure when Jesus offers rest?