The strength we must ascribe to God

False attribution of strength can manifest in two ways:

  1. Attributing the right strength to the wrong person or force
  2. Attributing the right strength to the right person, but to the wrong extent

We commit each of these false attributions more often than we realize.

As mentioned previously, oppressive strength actually originates in attribution of distorted strength to God. When people are consistent victims of oppression, they begin to wonder whether God is the source of this oppression. This erroneous attribution is what leads many people away from God, whether into atheism, agnosticism, or even a dysfunctional relationship with God within the Christian faith. For the one who rejects God, he or she must inevitably attempt to find a source of strength besides God that is pure or ideal. Many of them will see strength in science, politics, academics, and activism. All of these truly do hold strength, but they are only the painting, you see. The solution is to strip away in one’s mind the distorted strength from the reality of God’s purity. The person who chooses to see God as He truly is, in His purity, will soon find that God was on their side this whole time, for He hates the oppression and injustice in the world more than any other, but can only move through people to promote justice when they trust in His pure strength.

Most Christians easily admit that God is glorious and strong above all others. To admit this is to attribute strength to the right person — but it does not indicate the level of strength. Often, Christians will believe in the back of their minds that, although God is the strongest by comparison, He still is not very strong in the extent of His strength. This inadvertently causes Christians to be in want of strength, which causes them to oppress others for strength in government, business, family, and other spheres of life. This also causes them to worry, because, although God has good intentions, they doubt He has the extent of strength necessary to carry them out.

When we ascribe strength to the wrong source, we store up for ourselves an oppressive strength that will neither be a blessing to others nor to ourselves, nor (most importantly) to God. The distorted manifestation of strength in our world, in turn, provokes those around us to mis-ascribe strength in turn. When our neighbors see strength misused, they wonder if God also misuses strength, and if He is oppressive, rather than our righteous and just protector. And so, this second false attribution relays itself to the first, and unless we repent of false attribution and trust in God’s strength to get us out, we will be stuck in this oppressive cycle.

Purity, source, and extent

Purity, source and extent — these are the factors of strength required to correctly ascribe strength. We will find our lives the most meaningful, joyful, and righteous when we: