In Need of Strength
The lecture explains that a person in his spiritual life always needs strength from God in order to succeed and remain steadfast in his spiritual path. Pope Shenouda III emphasizes that this strength is obtained only when a person realizes his true weakness and humbles himself before God, asking for His help.
The teaching stresses that relying on human abilities, intelligence, or spiritual experience alone leads a person to falling, while dependence on God grants victory and steadfastness. Therefore, the important spiritual principle is repeated: “When I am weak, then I am strong,” because God’s power works in the humble person.
Pope Shenouda III presents many biblical examples such as Apostle Peter, Prophet Elijah, Abraham, and David, showing that the greatest men of God experienced weakness when they depended on themselves, but triumphed when they resorted to God and asked for His strength.
He also focuses on the fact that true repentance is not based on human will alone, but on continual prayer and attachment to God. A person does not say, “I will repent,” but rather says, “Repent me, O Lord, and I shall repent,” acknowledging that God is the true worker in his salvation.
The lecture confirms that prayer is the source of daily spiritual strength and that the believer needs continual renewal from the Holy Spirit at all times, not merely strength received in the past. Therefore, he must seek divine help before every work and in every step of his life.
From the Coptic Orthodox perspective, spiritual growth is connected with humility, self-denial, and complete dependence on the grace of God, because man by nature is weak and inclined to fall, while God is the source of strength, preservation, and salvation.
The lecture concludes by emphasizing that the strongest person is the one who prays continually and lives attached to God, seeking renewed strength in repentance, service, teaching, and spiritual struggle, because every spiritual success is the fruit of God’s work in man.
Divine Strength
“For better translation support, please contact the center.”
