Strength Surrendered

Peter never learned how to put a governor on his gift. He never learned how to guard his strength, and an unguarded strength becomes a weakness.

“If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:12-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Are you a people person? Do you thrive off of the energy of other people? If this strength goes unguarded, you could find yourself thriving not only on the energy of others but also on the acceptance of others, perhaps compromising values and beliefs to fit in with whomever is “in” at the moment. 

Maybe you have a leadership gift and a mind for strategy and vision. What a gift! But if that strength goes unguarded, you may find yourself manipulating people and situations to execute your own agenda rather than championing others’ skills, contributions, and gifts. Then you become a leader with blurry ethical lines, and your unguarded strength becomes a weakness. 

“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:3‬ ‭

Any strength we have that is not surrendered to Jesus can be used as a weapon against ourselves and against others.