“The Sovereign Lord is my Strength”
This past weekend was the ordination and commissioning of officers (pastors) in the Southern Territory of the Salvation Army. As I live here in Atlanta, I was a participant in this event with the territorial music forces. I sing in the Southern Staff Songsters. I absolutely love being a part of this ministry! But it can be challenging for me physically.
Commissioning weekend is very busy. We begin on Wednesday evening with rehearsals. Then all day dress rehearsals on Thursday. Finally, everything begins on Friday morning with a commencement service for the newly graduated Salvation Army officers, and four additional sessions, culminating with Sunday morning worship.
However, this year was a little different than past years. Usually, we are only tasked to sing preliminary numbers before the sessions begin and maybe one additional feature number at some point in the weekend. Not this year! We were featured several times in each session along with the staff band and creative arts. Saturday felt like a marathon!
To give context, I have a bad knee from an injury I had when I was 14. So standing for long periods of time is a challenge. I usually begin “training” for weekends like this months in advance to prepare for what I know will be required of me. However, over the weeks prior to Commissioning, I had been doing a lot of physically challenging events that took much more than I had to give. By the time rehearsals came around, I was already sore and even limping, and my stored up resources were depleted. By the beginning of the commencement service, my knee was yelling at me! So when I knew I was going to have endure even more, I became overwhelmed knowing that I wouldn’t have the strength.
But the Lord gave me a scripture that actually helped:
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. – Habakkuk 3:19
The LORD is my strength. I can do nothing without His power moving in me. When I try to remain strong…physically, mentally, spiritually, in my own strength, I fail every time. I become discouraged and it wreaks havoc on my mental health. I start believing that I can’t do it. But God never intended that I walk this life alone or to ever rely on my own strength.
I can do all things through CHRIST who gives me strength. – Philippians 3:14
“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Reassured, I kept reminding myself, “The cross was heavier.” Carrying and hanging on the cross itself was physically impossible. And even that would have been enough. But thank you, Jesus for carrying the spiritual weight of my sins, which far outweighs the physical weight of the cross!
Are there true physical ailments that prevent me from running or jumping or enduring long periods of standing? Yes, of course. And pain is my body’s alarm system, reminding me of my limits. But I also know that God’s healing power is true. And even if I only need it to finish my “race” of ministry during a weekend, I know that He will give me the strength I need. And that is exactly what happened!
And then, as if I needed any more assurance, our Songsters sang the line: “And now let the weak say I am strong – because of what the Lord has done for us,” and I was able to sing it with confidence as my own personal testimony.
When I am weak, He is strong! To God be the glory!
Heather Hanton
Ministries and Media Specialist
The Salvation Army USA Central Territory
Women’s Ministries Department
