When Strength Runs Out

How to Be Strong in the Lord When You’re Weak, Weary, and Wounded

📖 Scripture Reference – 1 Samuel 30:6 – Isaiah 40:29

"But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

Prologue: A Weary Man, a Deep Well, and a Daily Refill of Grace

(Context. For 15 years, the author has endured Central Pain Syndrome, a rare kind of stroke resulting in relentless crushing pain, and the doctors are stymied as to what to do. We all suffer from pain of some sort, in the body and in the soul. Gregg has much to share on this topic of walking with the Lord under perplexing pain. Such tenacious love and faith under pressure are rare! 1 Timothy 6:12. And mind you, under this oppressive load, Gregg is serving the Lord, loving his family, and visiting prisoners! Where's he get the strength to push through? Let's let HIM tell us... Web Poster's note.)

This devotional feels deeply personal tonight — because it’s my story too.

Many days, and especially most nights, my middle name could be “Weary”. Strength feels like a rare and fleeting resource. Some mornings, I feel like I start with an empty tank. But here's the beautiful truth: God lets me come to Him again and again for another refill of daily grace. Without that mercy made new every morning, I honestly don’t know how I would keep going.

Recently, my wife and I sat through yet another critical consultation with my neurosurgeon. He had taken a month to research potential next steps following the disappointing outcome of my recent spinal cord surgery. We had both allowed a flicker of hope to rise — and maybe that’s part of being human. We want to believe things can get better. Even so, deep down, I think I already knew.

The surgeon wasn’t surprised by the failure. He compassionately reminded us that modern medicine simply hasn’t caught up to the challenge of treating Central Pain Syndrome, especially in its rarest forms like mine. There are no trials. No reliable clinical studies. No standard treatment path. Just a few uncharted options, and a whole lot of uncertainty.

Still, we had to try. And we don’t regret that. Hope is worth pursuing, even when it doesn’t lead to the outcome we desire.

During the appointment, my doctor shared that the more invasive Deep Brain Stimulation surgery likely wouldn’t provide meaningful relief either. Yet he didn’t leave us without options. He suggested a newer procedure called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). It’s primarily used for treatment-resistant depression, but has also shown promise in addressing other conditions like anxiety, PTSD, OCD, chronic pain, and even addiction.

TMS involves placing a coil on the scalp — typically near the forehead — and delivering a series of repetitive magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells involved in mood regulation. While this isn’t FDA-approved for Central Pain Syndrome, he believes it might be worth trying. Of course, being an “off label” procedure that means insurance might be a hurdle, but the team will try to help us navigate that process.

If TMS doesn’t help, there is one final option on the table: Motor Cortex Stimulation — a more invasive brain procedure that I’ve been aware of for years but never realized could be applicable in my case.

So that’s where things stand.

To be completely honest, even though we’re trying to stay hopeful, the reality is sobering. Medical technology may never provide the kind of relief we long for. But strangely, I’m at peace with that.

Why? Because I’ve come to believe — after years of prayer, tears, and perseverance — that this affliction isn’t random. It has been handpicked by a sovereign and loving God.

This pain, this condition, this path I walk — it’s not outside of God’s plan. It’s tailor-made. It’s purposeful. And most of all, it’s held in His gracious, sustaining hand.

For reasons I may never fully understand this side of Heaven, God has chosen not to remove this thorn. And honestly, I’m okay with that — because He has never once failed to give me what I need to get through the next day. His grace remains sufficient, just as it was for Paul, and just as it has been for countless suffering saints across history.

Yes, I still covet your prayers. Not for healing so much as for sustaining grace — for strength to meet each day with courage, hope, and the peace that passes understanding.

So tonight, I write this devotional weary and worn. I’m not strong. I’m not overflowing. But I know this — God’s well of grace is deep, and it never runs dry.

I’ve come for my daily refill. And friend, I pray you do too.

Now, let’s get started.

💔 Introduction: When Life Breaks You Down

Lord knows, we all need this.

We live in a broken world. For some, it’s a prison cell. For others, a hospital bed. For many, it's regret over past sins, a life shattered by addiction, or the daily torment of chronic pain. Maybe, like David, your own friends or loved ones have turned on you. Maybe you’ve looked at your life and asked, “How did I get here?” And maybe, just maybe, you’ve run out of strength altogether.

This world takes a toll — on your body, your mind, your relationships, and your spirit. The pain doesn’t always go away. The memories linger. The nights are long. And the silence can scream louder than any words.

But here is the truth: You can still be strong — not in yourself, but in the Lord.

David’s moment of greatest despair became a divine turning point. With his men ready to stone him, his family taken captive, and his future in question — David did the unthinkable:

He strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

You can do the same.

This devotional is for every person who feels weak, weary, and wounded. It’s for prisoners, sufferers, and saints learning to walk with a limp. It’s for anyone whose strength has run out.

🔎 Biblical Examples of Strength in Weakness

🪨 David in Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:6)

David’s own people blamed him for their suffering. He stood alone, heartbroken. Yet he didn’t retreat. He didn’t retaliate. He strengthened himself in the Lord. How? He rehearsed God’s promises. He remembered his calling. He preached truth to his soul — and acted on it.

🧥 Jonathan’s Encouragement (1 Samuel 23:16–17)

Before Ziklag, David had been strengthened by another. Jonathan sought him out, spoke truth over his life, and reminded him of God's plan. This shows us a vital key: God often strengthens us through the words of a faithful friend.

🩸 Jesus in Gethsemane (Luke 22:43)

Jesus, the Son of God, sweated blood under the weight of sorrow. And in that place of agony, an angel appeared to strengthen Him. He still went to the cross, but God gave Him strength for the path ahead.

🔥 Paul in Corinth (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Paul pleaded with God to remove his affliction. But the Lord responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” So Paul boasted in his weaknesses, because when he was weak — then he was strong.

🛠️ How to Strengthen Yourself in the Lord

Rehearse God's Promises

• Just like David, speak Scripture to your soul.

• “God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

• “He will never leave me nor forsake me” (Hebrews 13:5).

• “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Remember His Past Faithfulness

• Reflect on moments when God carried you before.

• Remind yourself: He didn’t bring me this far to leave me now.

Lean on the Body of Christ

• God sent Jonathan to David. He may send someone to you.

• If you're in prison or in pain, ask God to raise up a brother or sister who speaks life-giving truth to you.

Speak to Your Soul

• Like the psalmist: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? Hope in God.” (Ps 42:5)

• Don’t wait for others to preach to you. Preach to yourself.

Linger in God's Presence

• Find a quiet place, even behind prison walls or hospital beds.

• Worship. Pray. Meditate on His Word.

• Strength comes when we abide in Christ.

⛓️ Special Word to the Incarcerated and Afflicted

For Every Soul Weary from Long-Term Incarceration or Unrelenting Suffering

Dear prisoner, dear sufferer — whether you are behind bars or bound by pain, please hear this with all your heart:

God is not far from you.

The world may have turned its back on you. Friends may have forgotten you. Family may have moved on. But Jesus Christ has not forsaken you — not for a second.

He knows where you sleep. He knows what you’ve lost. He knows what they said about you. He knows how many nights you’ve cried, how many years you’ve carried the guilt, the trauma, the ache.

And He cares.

You are not forgotten.


You are not beyond reach.


You are not too broken to be used by God.

The cell you sit in may feel like the end of your story — but to God, it may be the very place your story truly begins. Prisons may confine the body, but they cannot imprison the soul set free by Christ. In fact, some of the greatest work God ever does is in prison cells — just ask Joseph, Jeremiah, Paul, or even Jesus, who was arrested, beaten, and crucified like a common criminal.

God specializes in reaching people in hard places.
Because He, too, walked through the valley of deep suffering.

Remember this: Jesus is the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). He knows what it is to be rejected, mistreated, falsely accused, betrayed by friends, and crushed by pain. He knows the loneliness of isolation and the agony of abandonment.

But more than that — He conquered it.
 And in Him, so will you.

You may feel like life has passed you by. That your best days are behind you. That your story is over. But that’s a lie from the pit of hell.

God still has purpose for you.
There are people only you can reach. There are letters only you can write. There is testimony in your scars. There is power in your repentance. And there is a ministry waiting to be birthed right there behind those walls.

Paul wrote half the New Testament from prison. John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress from a jail cell. Watchman Nee, Richard Wurmbrand, and countless others shined Christ’s light in the darkness — not in freedom, but in bondage.

And you, dear child of God, can shine too.

Your pain is not wasted. Your prayers are not ignored. Your soul is not disqualified.

If you have Jesus, you have everything you need — because He is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the Anchor in the storm. He is the Bread for the hungry. He is the Door that no one can shut. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

You may have no one else — but you have Him.
And He. Is. Enough.

So take heart, beloved. You are not what this world says you are. You are who God says you are — forgiven, loved, redeemed, chosen, sealed, and destined for glory.

Strengthen yourself in the Lord your God today.

Your sentence may have an earthly end date — or it may not. But your story has an eternal destination. And the King of Glory walks beside you even now.

Hold fast. He is with you in that cell. And one day, you will be with Him in glory.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” — 2 Corinthians 4:16–17

💭 Final Thought: A Strength the World Can’t Touch

The world offers no real answer for the kind of pain you’re going through.

No pill can heal a shattered heart.
No philosophy can hold you when your soul is crushed under grief.
No motivational speech can sustain you through the long nights of prison, or the never-ending ache of chronic suffering.
No earthly escape can offer lasting peace to the tormented soul.

But God can.

God gives strength that doesn’t come from adrenaline — but from abiding.
He gives endurance that doesn’t come from muscle — but from mercy.
He gives hope that isn’t based on how you feel — but on who He is.

David strengthened himself in the Lord his God — not by changing his situation, but by remembering his God. The Amalekites still had his family. His own men still held stones in their hands. The loss was real. The fear was real. The pain was real.

But so was God.

And when David turned his eyes away from the fire, the rubble, and the threats of man — and fixed them on the God who had delivered him from lions, bears, and giants — something changed. Not around him, but within him. Strength rose up. Courage returned. Hope revived. And with that renewed strength, David moved forward in the power of God and recovered all that had been lost.

You can too.

Maybe you’re in a prison cell. Maybe you’re bedridden with pain. Maybe your regrets scream louder than your prayers. But hear this — you do not need to stay stuck.

“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;


they shall mount up with wings like eagles;


they shall run and not be weary;


they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

This is not a fairy tale. This is a blood-bought promise of God.

You may be crawling today — spiritually, emotionally, physically. But child of God, if you wait upon the Lord, if you linger in His Word, if you draw near to Him with trembling hands and tear-filled eyes, He will renew your strength.

You may not be flying yet — but you’re not dead.


You may not feel strong — but His grace is sufficient.


You may feel forgotten — but God has never taken His eyes off you.


You may feel like giving up — but Jesus never will.

Strength in God is not a quick fix — it’s a daily filling. It’s the steady stream of grace that flows when we rehearse His promises, recall His faithfulness, and rest in His presence.

Let the world crumble. Let your flesh fail. Let friends forsake you. Still — God is the strength of your heart and your portion forever (Psalm 73:26).

So don’t quit. Don’t listen to the lies. Don’t believe the silence means He’s gone.

Your Redeemer lives. And in Him, you will rise.

You may be crawling today — but with God, you will fly again.

❓Reflection Questions

1. What burden is currently draining your strength? Have you brought it to God honestly?

2. Can you recall a time when God gave you strength in the past?

3. What specific promise of God can you rehearse today to strengthen your soul?

4. Is there someone in your life you can be a Jonathan to — encouraging them with God’s Word?

5. Have you been trying to be strong in your own strength rather than His? What needs to change?

🙏 Closing Prayer

Father of all Comfort, Strength of the weary, and Defender of the broken—

We come to You with trembling hands and weak knees. Some of us are in prison. Some of us are in pain. Some of us feel forgotten, used up, and cast aside. But You are the God who sees. The God who strengthens. The God who restores.

Lord, like David, we are distressed. The weight is too much for us. But we turn to You. Help us strengthen ourselves in You. Help us remember Your promises, rehearse Your Word, and trust Your faithfulness.

Lift up every prisoner reading these words. Touch every body wracked with pain. Visit every soul who has lost the will to go on. Be their strength. Be their shield. Be their hope.

Lord, we believe that in Christ, all Your promises are YES. Let us cling to those promises — and not let go.

In the mighty, merciful name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen!

From: Fight the Good Fight of Faith / Life Journal: By Gregg Harris