He is Strong: The Story Behind the Song

In September 2011, my husband, Chris, was having extreme back pain. He could not stand up straight and was having trouble even walking.  After going to the ER and seeing our family physician, he was referred to a specialist.  There he was told that he had Degenerative Disc Disease.  At that time we weren’t sure what that entailed and wondered if he would even be able to work or maintain a normal life.    Because of his age, they did not want to do surgery and he was in excruciating pain most of the time.   

So many questions were running through my head as I was (again) driving to work one morning.  Will my husband be permanently disabled?  How will we survive if he can’t work?  How can he live with such terrible pain?  Will he ever be able to enjoy life again?  I was crying out to God and begging him to heal my husband.  As I was praying…I began to sing the words of my favorite childhood song, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the bible tells me so.  Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.”  That was my answer.  Somehow through all of the pain and weakness, Jesus was not only going to give His strength to my husband, He was going to carry all of our burdens.     

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The song “He is Strong” came from my encounter with the Lord that morning. We don’t always understand why pain and sickness happen to those we love, but just like Paul talked about in 2 Corinthians, sometimes we have to experience weakness in order for God to show us His strength. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV – “But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The song begins with the simple words of “Jesus Loves Me” and builds to the chorus that He gave me that morning, “He is strong, He is strong. We are weak, but He is strong.  He carries our burdens, in His outstretched arms.  We are weak, but He is strong.”

We are still believing and praying for complete healing for Chris’ back. And even though he still deals with pain most days, the Lord has helped him continue to work and provide for our family.  In the midst of everything, He has also called him into Youth ministry.  Every day is a blessing from God and we are so thankful that He carries us through in His strong arms.    

1 Peter 5:10 NIV - And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.