Feeling Powerless in Spiritual Struggles and Trials
Biblical texts frequently describe experiences of powerlessness during spiritual struggles and trials, often using vivid imagery to convey profound distress. The Psalmist, for example, cries out, "I have been troubled and in fear of death from the time when I was young; your wrath is hard on me, and I have no strength" [1]. This sense of being overwhelmed is further expressed through physical manifestations of suffering, such as weariness, a dry throat, and failing eyes from looking for God [2]. The feeling of being forgotten, like a "dead man, out of mind," or a "broken vessel," also captures this deep sense of helplessness [5].
Such expressions are not merely poetic but reflect a genuine anguish and sorrow that can close off any perspective of hope [7]. The psalmist's exhaustion can be so profound that it reaches "the depths of his being from the anguish of his spiritual distance from the Lord" [8]. This can lead to a physical weakening, where the body seems to fail, and eyes dim [8, 11]. The feeling of being overwhelmed is also described as "fearfulness and trembling" and "horror" [4]. In these moments, the psalmist may feel that life is slipping away under oppressive circumstances, leading to a confession of desperation [9].
The prophet Micah similarly depicts a state of distress, asking, "Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?" [3]. This imagery suggests a loss of leadership or guidance, leaving one vulnerable and in agony. The feeling of utter exhaustion and hopeless weakness is further illustrated by figures such as the body becoming like water, bones parting, and the heart melting like wax, indicating a complete breakdown of vitality [12].
In these trials, individuals may feel "afflicted very much," not only temporally but also spiritually, struggling with internal corruptions, temptations, and even the perceived "hidings of God's face" [10]. This can lead to a state where one is "pressed above measure," with spirits sinking under the weight of affliction [10]. The apostle Paul, in Galatians, refers to the spiritual experiences of believers, implying that turning away from the work of the Spirit would render those experiences meaningless, suggesting a potential loss of spiritual power or efficacy [6]. The Bible acknowledges that in such states, individuals may feel they are losing all hope, facing ruthless opposition, and experiencing a profound sense of abandonment [9].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 88:15 (BBE) — I have been troubled and in fear of death from the time when I was young; your wrath is hard on me, and I have no strength.”
- Psalms “I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail, looking for my God. -- Psalms 69:3”
- Micah “Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail? -- Micah 4:9”
- Psalms “Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me. -- Psalms 55:5”
- Psalms “Psalms 31:12 (BSB) — I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel.”
- Galatians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Galatians 3:4: 3:4 Have you experienced (or suffered) so much for nothing? This could refer to suffering, but what is known about the Galatian church does not suggest this. Paul was probably referring to the spiritual experiences the Galatians had through the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:3, 5). Turning to the law for right standing with God would mean regarding the work of the Spirit as meaningless.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 13:2: 13:2 A sense of anguish and sorrow closes off any perspective of hope (6:3). Unless the Lord answers the psalmist’s prayers (22:1), death seems inescapable, torturous, and slow (6:6; 32:3; 55:4; 61:2; 102:5; 116:3). The psalmist hardly knows how to pray; he longs for God’s redemption (25:17-18; 31:10; 38:8; 39:2).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 6:6: 6:6-7 The psalmist is exhausted to the depths of his being from the anguish of his spiritual distance from the Lord (22:1; 31:9-10; 102:5). • When eyes dim, the body is failing (see 13:3; 31:9; 38:10; Matt 6:22).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 143:3: 143:3-4 I am losing all hope: The psalmist confesses his desperation as his life slips away under oppressive and ruthless foes.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:103: I am afflicted very much,.... In a temporal sense, in his body, in his family, and by his enemies; in a spiritual sense, with the corruptions of his heart, with the temptations of Satan, and with the hidings of God's face; and what with one thing or another, he was pressed above measure, and his spirits sunk under the weight of the affliction, so that he was as a dead man; and therefore prays, quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word; See Gill on Psa 119:25.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 6:2: 6:2-3 In his longing for God’s response to his prayer, the psalmist grew physically weak (6:6; see 77:3; 119:81; 142:1-3; see also Ps 101). Fasting might have played a part in his agony, but this is not mentioned.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 22:14: Utter exhaustion and hopeless weakness, in these circumstances of pressing danger, are set forth by the most expressive figures; the solidity of the body is destroyed, and it becomes like water; the bones are parted; the heart, the very seat of vitality, melts like wax; all the juices of the system are dried up; the tongue can no longer perform its office, but lies parched and stiffened (compare Gen 49:4; Sa2 14:14; Psa 58:8). In this, God is regarded as the ultimate source, and men as the instruments.”