The LORD turned to him and said: Go with the strength you have and save Israel from the power of Midian. It is I who send you. (Jgs 6:14)
וַיִּ֤פֶן אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֵ֚ךְ בְּכֹחֲךָ֣ זֶ֔ה וְהוֹשַׁעְתָּ֥ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִכַּ֣ף מִדְיָ֑ן הֲלֹ֖א שְׁלַחְתִּֽיךָ׃
respexitque ad eum Dominus et ait vade in hac fortitudine tua et liberabis Israhel de manu Madian scito quod miserim te?
καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Πορεύου ἐν τῇ ἰσχύι σου καὶ σώσεις τὸν Ισραηλ, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξαπέστειλά σε;
Human strength is limited. Gideon knew this well when he was confronted with the mission he received from the Lord. The Angel emphasizes: “Am I not the One who sends you?” Another comes to mind who struggled with his limitations. Saint Paul heard: “My power is made perfect in weakness.” This is precisely what our experience of limitations is about. The strength I possess, the store of knowledge, abilities, and energy — when only attuned to God’s designs — becomes sufficient. The secret lies in obedience, in the courage of trust on our part. Set out into a new day, even if you need not fight against enemies. Sometimes that battle takes place within us.
The Hebrew word כֹּחַ [ḵôaḥ] means vigor/strength, also ability/resources/possibilities/wealth. In the biblical context it refers to the power and resources granted by God, which man should use for God’s glory and the service of his neighbor. Its Greek equivalent is ἰσχύς [ischys].