We have heard of Paul's "revelations" and exaltings–here we have his humbling. He is brought down to his right place, low in himself; and to his right feelings, weak in himself. Hence we see the true nature and blessed end of christian experience: it keeps the soul from being puffed up with pride, lest it fall into the condemnation of the devil: it sinks it low in humility, under a sense of weakness, and it leads it out of itself to look for all its strength in Christ. Here the strength of faith is opposed to the weakness of sense. "When I am weak, then am I strong:" this, though a difficult lesson, yet is a precious one.
Do we see ourselves weak? Christ is held forth to us as our strength, and he calls upon us to be strong in him: "Trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Isa. 26:4. But surely folly is bound up in the heart of the weak; for, instead of obeying and trusting in him, how many are saying, I am the weakest of the weak; I have no might, no power? You are the very person here addressed. You can get no strength but from the Lord. By trusting in the Lord, you will say, though weak, I am strong; I have everlasting strength.
To encourage to this, the Lord commands, "Let the weak say I am strong." Joel 3:10. Let them believe it in their hearts and confess it with their lips. What! if they find no strength in themselves? Yes, it is a command to the weak; yea, to the weakest of the weak. Then this exactly suits you and me. "Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Isa. 40:29. Here we are rebuked and reproved–"faint, and have no might:" this is our state. Have you never heard nor known how the Lord dealeth with such? O look up to him. Though not sufficient of yourself to do any thing as of yourself, know your sufficiency is of the Lord: though we can do nothing of ourselves, yet we can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth us. Phil. 4:13. How do we get strength from Christ? By believing his promises, going to him in the faith of them, pleading them before him, and praying him to fulfil them in us: thus we put our cause upon the strength of Christ's truth: he is faithful; he cannot deny us; he will say, "According to your faith, be it unto you" Matthew 9:29.