While the world caters to the powerful, for many of us much of life involves trying to cope with the times when we are powerless.  

The wife sits by the bed of the man she has loved, supported, and encouraged for over fifty years. She has always been able to help him get back on his feet when he was down, lift his spirits when he was low, and see him bounce back when he has failed. Not this time. This time she is powerless. She speaks, but her words have no effect. She begs and pleads, but nothing happens. Doctors, nurses, ministers, friends and children all do what they can to revive his spirit, but it does not help. All are powerless to restore this man’s health.  

The couple has been married for nine years and he thought things were going pretty well. They have a nice house in a nice neighborhood, both have good jobs, and everyone is healthy. One day she informs him that she has had all she can take and wants out. He begs, pleads, promises, and recommits, but it is too late. He is powerless to bring about a change of heart.  

The parents have done everything they know to do. They brought him up in the "Nurture and admonition of the Lord." They prayed regularly and intensely. They took him to church. They made sure he received the best education possible. They tried not to spoil him while making sure that he had what he needed. Now he’s gone. He left home in an angry rage and they have not heard from him for weeks. They wait. They pray. They long to see his face. They are powerless.  

He felt good that he had gotten the job right out of college and had stayed with the company through the lean years. They had survived inflation, intense competition, and near bankruptcy. They had been down, but came back strong. Things have changed. Marketing their product is more difficult now. Sales have fallen off. He is being "let go." His hard work and company loyalty mean nothing compared to the "bottom line." He leaves his office broken and powerless.  

This is life.

That is the way of this world. This is life. We work hard. We do what we can. We try hard to make our own way and prove we can handle anything that comes. Then, suddenly, we find ourselves flat on our back wondering what happened. We have "fallen and we cannot get up." We are powerless.  

Though the world looks at these times of being powerless as the ultimate failure, Scripture sees it as an opportunity to receive a blessing from God.     

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3 NIV)

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence This edition of this timeless devotional classic will help you cultivate a continual awareness of God in the everyday.

Tom Norvell is the author of "A Norvell Note." He ministers at the East Brainerd Church of Christ in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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