There is a kind of strength that looks unshakable to the world—yet trembles behind closed doors. It smiles through pain, performs through exhaustion, and survives without ever truly healing. This is toxic strength—the silent armor we wear when survival becomes our only goal and surrender feels like failure. We call it resilience, but too often it’s just fear dressed as faith. Fear of breaking. Fear of needing help. Fear of appearing weak—even before God. In Toxic Strength — When Survival Looks Strong but Feels Empty, bestselling Christian author DeShawn Price exposes the hidden cost of the strength we glorify and leads readers into the healing power of surrender. With raw honesty, emotional depth, and the truth of Scripture, this book speaks to every heart that has ever carried too much, cried too little, and called it courage. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6 KJV).
God never designed you to carry what only He could hold. Real strength doesn’t come from holding everything together—it comes from falling apart in His hands. In your weakness, His grace shines brightest. In your surrender, His Spirit restores what self-sufficiency drained away. “My grace is sufficient for for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV). If you’re the weary warrior who’s tired of pretending that strength means never breaking, this book is for you. It’s a soul-deep invitation to trade exhaustion for peace, perfection for presence, and performance for the power of divine dependence. Because true strength isn’t about surviving another storm—it’s about finally resting in the One who calms it.
Toxic Strength speaks to the heart of those who have learned to appear strong while silently falling apart. It is a message of mercy, healing, and divine restoration for the soul that’s been holding on too long. Find freedom. Find peace. Find God in the breaking—where strength finally becomes real.