“And Samson cried out to God: Master, God! Oh, please, look on me again, Oh, please, give strength yet once more.” Judges 16:28
Listen to Come On, One More Try
All I wanted was a second chance. Just once I wanted two shots. I couldn’t have been sure if my decision had been a mistake or misguided dreams—school girl hopes thrashed to the rocks and washed away by the ocean. I’d ignored the dream once. All I wanted—to be a writer, with words that meant something.
Today I found myself sitting in front of my computer straining to find words of encouragement. I lifted my eyes to heaven and asked, “Just one chance to say it right God. Just one.”
When my ministry partner and I came together, acquaintances from a writer’s conference, God’s plan began to take shape. Logistics alone made running a ministry impossible by normal standards, but then God is everything but normal. All we wanted was the opportunity to speak His word. Plagued with spiritual warfare, difficult decisions, finances, we prayed, “give us strength once more. Protect our families, bless this ministry.”
Now I stood at a distance watching my ministry partner walking in real faith. Helpless, I sensed his fear as I read of his struggles. I fell to my knees and prayed, “Just this once, God. Just once, give me the strength to say the right thing, to be the support my brother needs. I mess up a lot. Say the wrong things, stumble, and stick my foot in my mouth, but this time, will you look on me again and give me the strength to be a pillar of support for my friend and his wife?”
Like me, Samson messed up a lot, too. Divorce, greed, and anger filled his life. In his despair and brokenness he realized his sin, and then looked to God asking for strength once more. God restored Samson’s strength long enough for him to destroy the enemy. It took me awhile, but I figured out I was as bad as Samson. Coming into strength meant surrendering my weakness—my own fear and lack of trust. I couldn’t speak His words of strength until I gave up my own weakness.
Can I have a chance to be strong, to be supportive, to say the words, write the sentences that would stand as proof our decisions in Christ are right? Can I say it without stumbling over the phrases? Can I be the rock of support and proof when fear tries to creep in?
Within our weakness God builds our strength. Trust. Walk in faith. He will see you through.
“Master, God! Oh, please, look on me again, Oh, please, give strength yet once more…” to be the servant I’m directed to be even when I feel like such a failure. You’ve allowed me to be a writer, and a friend. Now Lord, give me the strength yet once more.
Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Marianne Jordan.
And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Spirit & HEART: A Devotional Journey.
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-1-5