If we are not careful, our God given strengths can become our greatest weakness when we rely on them instead of relying on the Lord. There are many stories in Scripture that show godly leaders relying on their own abilities.

Here are a few:

• Abraham’s strength was his faith in God. Yet, when his faith was tested by the king of Egypt, he lied about Sarah being his sister…not his wife. (Genesis 12, 13)
• Moses was a man of humility and submitted his life to God’s plan. Yet, when God told him to speak to a rock so that it would provide water for the Israelites, Moses acted foolishly and hit the rock twice with his staff. Because he lost his temper in the wilderness, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. (Numbers 20)
• Peter was bold in his declaration that Jesus was the Son of God. He even boasts that he would never turn his back on the Lord. But after Jesus’ arrest, Peter was confronted by a servant girl and denied Jesus three times. (Luke 22)

These men, known for their God given strengths, all failed miserably. These failures remind us that true strength is found in our dependence upon God. Are we leading by seeking God’s wisdom through prayer or are we leading out of our own strength? Whenever we are most confident in our ability to lead, we have to make sure we are depending on God’s strength and not our own.

We need to remind ourselves that our strength does not come from ourselves; it comes from the Lord.

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7

The LORD gives strength to his people ~ Psalm 29:11a

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ~ Ephesians 6:10

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:13