1. lacking the power to perform physically demanding tasks; lacking physical strength and energy
2. liable to break or give way under pressure; easily damaged
There are so many areas in our lives that we can be weak. I will start with these.
- Physically
- Mentally
- Emotionally
- Spiritually
- Financially
There are going to be some areas of life that I am going to want to work on more than others. For example, I would never attempt to try to be as strong as a man. I may be able to compensate for my lack of physical strength by taking care of my body, learning self defense or purchasing and learning how to properly use a gu, but I can't say at present it is my greatest priority.
Mentally, no one wants to be mentally weak. Why? Well we all interact with people and we will all inevitably disagree and have arguments. It never feels good to walk away from an argument knowing that you have been defeated and have blind spots.
Emotional weakness can lead to damage that is far reaching and doesn't heal well or quickly. We do however have the power to become emotionally resilient. There are skills people can learn that allow them to avoid emotionally damaging situations. There also skills we can develop to deal with emotional set backs and grieve loss and move on with hope for a brighter future.
Spiritual weakness, this I feel should be my greatest priority. I can't say that I have given it the time and attention it needs as of late but I am constantly reminded of the cost of being weak in this area of my life. It is also the area that brings me the greatest rewards and allows me to hold my head the highest when I am living within the bounds of my conscience. It gives my soul purpose and meaning. I may at times have a hard life but at least I can have a life of meaning when I am growing spiritually.
Financially, well this is always a work in progress. I would say that I am relatively satisfied in this area of my life. I have put in the time and effort to educate myself, work hard and to be careful with the resources I have been given. I try to do good things with the funds that I do have. I have started to learn more about the stock market and although I have a lot to learn in this area it doesn't scare me in the ways it used to. I have come a LONG way from my childhood where I was constantly embarrassed that I didn't have the resources that other's had and that my family had to be a constant welfare case. If it taught me anything, it taught me to be grateful for what I have now.
Why does any of this matter? It matters because it determines how much you like yourself. If you are weak in any areas mentioned above, you will suffer for your stupidity and failure. This will breed bitterness in your soul. When you despise yourself, it will make you vengeful and cruel to others. You will not be able to bear the structure of existence and you will torture yourself and others.
Humility and honesty are key. You need to honestly recognize and accept where you are in each of these areas, as painful as it may be. No excuses. No exceptions. Take note and determine where you want to be. Decide what it will take to get there. Make a plan. Stop looking back to the past and move into the future.
The bottom line is life is hard. It is supposed to be hard. It tells us of the trust God had in us when he sent us down here. If it were easy it would have been an insult. The good thing is that we can choose our hard but we must choose wisely.
