The Strength I Don’t Have
MORGAN KRUEGER
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“rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2:7 (NIV)
“Are you OK, Mommy?” My son’s little eyes stared up at me, awaiting my answer. I guess I wasn’t hiding it all as well as I thought. The answer to his question was actually pretty complicated.
Since Graham is only 3 and it’s not his role to carry the load of everything in his mommy’s life, I looked at him, weary, exhausted, and weak, and said with a warm smile, “Yeah, buddy, I’m going to be OK.”
Because that was the truth: I was going to be OK, even if, at that moment, I wasn’t sure I was.
I’m just going to say it: I don’t like being weak. At all. But the irony of life is that it’s meant to expose our weakness. Whether it’s physical, emotional, or even spiritual, weakness is bound to catch up with all of us.
But magnifying Jesus means embracing our weakness.
If you really think about it, it’s pretty radical that Jesus chose a form of weakness when He came to earth. In weakness, He was born as a vulnerable baby in a vulnerable stable. In weakness, He walked as fully man, acquainting Himself with our brokenness, even while remaining fully God. In weakness, Jesus was mocked and beaten, and He died one of the most vulnerable deaths the world has ever seen.
Philippians 2:7 says He “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” A.W. Tozer explains, “He had everything, but He possessed nothing. There is the spiritual secret.”
Jesus willingly embraced weakness in order to prioritize the Father’s strength.
So if our Savior — who put on weakness for us — relied on God’s strength, how much more are we to lean not on our own strength but the strength of the One who sent His Son and conquered the grave for us?
By nature we are weak, but because we live in a culture that glorifies strength and independence, weakness and dependence are actually things we need to practice.
To magnify means to “make great,” and that’s what happens when we lean into our dependence and weaknesses to showcase Jesus’ strength. It means coming to the Lord and having real conversations with Him about all the areas in which we need Him. It means opening up His Word, knowing that it is water for our thirsty souls.
I couldn’t fully explain everything to Graham in my moment of weakness, but the Lord already knew, and He was inviting me to once again return to the table of surrender.
God wants to hold us in our weakness. “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10b, NIV).
God, give us the courage to be weak, and teach us more about Your strength showing up when we need it the most. Thank You for being a Savior who went first in weakness for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
For more on how to live for Jesus in our cultural moment, grab a copy of Morgan Krueger’s brand-new book, Made to Magnify: Choosing to Live for Jesus When Everything Tells You to Live for Yourself.
Also snag Morgan’s freebie guide “5 Days of Quiet Faith,” helping you cultivate a still heart in a noisy world.
ENGAGE
Keep up with Morgan’s ministry, writing, and everyday encouragement on her Instagram @morganwkrueger, and learn more about her on her website at morgankrueger.com .
Enter to WIN your very own copy of Made to Magnify by Morgan Krueger. To celebrate this book, Morgan’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, April 13, 2026.}
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (NIV).
Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses …” (ESV).
What’s one area of weakness you’ve been fighting that God might be calling you to surrender today? Pray a prayer of faith, trusting that He will meet you in that weakness with His strength.
We’d love to hear from you! Share with us in the comments.
© 2026 by Morgan Krueger. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
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