By His Word
“We are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” — 2 Chronicles 20:12
We usually think of weakness as a disadvantage. We are taught to appear capable, remain confident, and assure everyone that we have matters under control. Yet some experiences refuse to cooperate with that image. A diagnosis, a family crisis, an unexpected loss, a difficult responsibility, or an uncertain future can bring us to the humbling confession, “I do not know what to do.”
Second Chronicles 20 shows us that such a confession does not have to be the language of defeat. When weakness turns our eyes toward God, it becomes the beginning of dependence.
Jehoshaphat had worked diligently to restore spiritual order in Judah. He appointed judges, called the people back to God’s law, and reminded their leaders to serve “faithfully and wholeheartedly” (2 Chronicles 19:9). Nevertheless, obedience did not prevent trouble from arriving. A vast coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and others came against Judah. Jehoshaphat was alarmed because he understood the seriousness of the threat.
His fear, however, did not have the final word. Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast and gathered the people to seek the Lord. Families stood together before God—including wives and children—while their king prayed. He remembered God’s character, recalled God’s previous faithfulness, described the present danger, and then admitted Judah’s complete inadequacy.
The Hebrew expression behind “we have no power” communicates an absence of strength or ability sufficient for the crisis. Jehoshaphat did not pretend that Judah possessed resources it did not have. Nor did he confuse faith with confidence in himself. He placed his confidence where it belonged: “Our eyes are on you.”
That short sentence gives us a pattern for meeting circumstances beyond our control. We acknowledge what is true about ourselves, but we do not stop there. We also remember what is true about God.
When we feel useless, God’s Word assures us that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). When temptation appears stronger than our resistance, Scripture reminds us that God is faithful and will provide a way to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13). When loneliness tells us that we have been abandoned, God declares, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
God answered Jehoshaphat through Jahaziel: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). Judah still had to go out and face the situation, but the people did not face it alone. They moved forward worshiping, trusting, and watching God accomplish what their strength could never have achieved.
This does not mean weakness is pleasant or that preparation is unnecessary. It means our limitations do not disqualify us from God’s service. Moses felt inadequate, Gideon considered himself insignificant, Jeremiah thought himself too young, and Paul carried a weakness he could not remove. God did not wait for them to become impressive. He taught them to depend upon Him.
The advantage of weakness is that it can free us from pretending to be our own deliverer. When we cannot see the road ahead, we can still fix our eyes upon the One who does. Our honest prayer may be only this: “Lord, I do not know what to do, but my eyes are on You.” That is not the surrender of faith. It is faith finding its proper direction.
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