by David Brenneman
"but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong," 1 Corinthians 1:27.
If you are feeling particularly helpless today, good. God delights
in imparting His all-sufficient power to those who meet the one
paradoxical requirement -weakness. If you have reached a place of exhaustion and emptiness, then look to the heavens and let the
Lord breathe His power into your spirit. And take courage. Those
who are brokenhearted and at the very end of their own resources
are merely a heart's cry away from the renewing surge of Christ's
sustaining power.
You may wonder why the ungodly prosper, while you've tried
to remain faithful and are suffering. Remember that the Lord has His reasons and will show His hand in due time. But also understand that the power of God is not for clout but for service, not for self-gratification but to glorify Christ. So the Father gives His
all-surpassing might to the humble, not for the advancement of personal interests and agendas but to honor His name. He strengthens
us so that we might demonstrate to others that He is sufficient and
is, indeed, the Lord. Therefore, if you're weary and troubled, keep
trusting Him--you are the very person whom the Savior stands
ready to empower and through whom He will exhibit His glory.
Jesus, You are my only hope. Strengthen me to honor You.
Amen.
- Trusting God with Today
Dr. Charles Stanley.
Not understanding is something that I am learning to get used to.
I don't 'feel' particularly strong in what I go through these days. I have the strangest dreams that make no sense. I know not from where my next job will come from. I search practically daily, which is actually very time consuming.
Which does lead me to feeling rather weak as far as accomplishments go.
I don't get out among people due to conservation of resources. So my only scope of relationships is with my Wife, two groups that I try to attend and Sunday Morning Church services. I don't see and mostly don't hear from people otherwise.
This too can look like I am achieving little to nothing.
What I do...is to try to remain faithful in whatever it is that I have been given to do...and leave the results unto God. Yesterday was unclogging a drain spout and fixing a dryer hood as well as making sure that the car was good to go.
What today holds I do not know. I am to do the best that I can with what I have been given and to do it as unto the Lord...even if it doesn't make sense to me.
As Dr. Stanley was writing so yes I do feel rather helpless at times. Not at all understanding the why's behind this. Am pretty sure future King David wasn't entirely clear on what he went through for years until he finally had the throne. Am pretty sure Joseph kept wondering for a few decades where what he was going through was going to tie into the visions that looked to have set off his brothers against him.
We are to trust and obey. That my Dear Reader is likely my favorite hymn. It's sort of there in between the lines of Dr. Stanley's Life Principle "Obey God and leave the consequences to Him.".
I continue with what He's began with me in my mornings with Him in reading and writing. I continue each night in my devotional reading and study Bibles. It's been amazing the times one or the other or both touch on what I am feeling in that moment.
It's those times when I do feel as one who isn't alone. That promise that I wouldn't be forsaken being known.
I somewhat miss my old job...but the part that's taking a lot longer to heal is the broken relationship with the owner that began before I worked for him. This too God will take care of. It's on me to continue in prayer about it.
We aren't going to have all the answers to what's going on in this life we live. We are weak, He is strong...that children's song says it well. We are to keep our eyes on Jesus and do whatever it is He's saying to do. Even if it's not making sense.
The work that the Spirit is doing in us and through us is to grow us in Christ and touch the lives of others in His Name for His purposes.
We are only strong in the Lord when considering spiritual life. We must rely on the Spirit to teach and for us to be open for the lessons.
"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
No I do not subscribe to the notion that this is a physical ailment. This begins and is described entirely as spiritual in nature.
I have weaknesses that are different from his. Yours are different from mine. Mine are not yours. Yet all of us find our strength only in the Lord Jesus Christ. What we need, when we need and where we need to accomplish His purposes in the moment.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6.
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, [21] to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21.
"but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Weaknesses and strengths are a part of who we are. We must walk by faith and not by sight. We need spiritual eyes to see and spiritual teaching to learn...and a heart that wants what God wants for us.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
A corporation not for profit.
La Habra, CA All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment