Tag: The Bible

When Weakness Becomes Strength

“…For when I am weak, then I am strong.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:10

This statement made by Paul sounds very much like a contradiction at first. How can someone be strong when they are weak? Is it possible for strength to be born out of weakness?

But God has been teaching me the truth of this apparent contradiction through my  daily experiences as a new Mama.

Learning how to be a good caregiver for my son has been a growing process. As I’m met with each need of this child who depends on me so completely, the Lord is teaching me to put aside my selfishness and to rely on Him for the strength to meet those needs. And the one realization that I keep being confronted with is this:

I am extremely weak!

I need God’s help to get up during the night to feed Micah. I need His strength to rise in the morning after not having been able to sleep much due to insomnia. I need the Lord to assist me in determining how to calm my son when he cries and cries and I can’t figure out what is wrong. I need my heavenly Father to enable me to do what is best for Micah when all I want to do is to take “the easy way out.”

When the anxiety threatens to overwhelm me…when the headaches make it difficult for me to think…when I’m missing the days of being able to get up and go whenever and wherever I wanted…when I’ve run out of patience but am still required to give more…in EVERY situation I need God’s help.

At first this recognition of my utter weakness depressed me. But then God showed me that He had me right where He wanted me to be! The reason for this is that in my weakness Christ is able to display His supernatural strength.

Paul writes earlier in 2 Corinthians 12 regarding his “thorn in the flesh”:

“But [the Lord] 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When we allow the Lord’s power to shine through our shortcomings, our weakness becomes strength. 💛

Within Your Love

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Deep within Your love
Is where I want to be…
From this very moment
Throughout all eternity.
Pursue me with Your kindness,
Envelop me in Your care;
Cover me with Your grace,
I long to be held there.
There’s no person in the world
Your love does not embrace;
From this earth, to the stars,
And through all of time and space.
You desire our affection
Even though You are Lord of all;
You see every time we’re hurting,
And You hear us when we call.
It’s too much for me to imagine –
Far greater than I can comprehend,
That the God of all creation
Desires to be my friend!
But I hold on to Your promise;
I know Your Word is true.
Father, I am so grateful:
Because You love me, I can love You.

Written by Crystal Knauss

Yet I Will Rejoice in the Lord

“Even though the fig trees are all destroyed, and there is neither blossom left nor fruit; though the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; even if the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy in the God of my salvation.” ~ Habakkuk 3:17-18

I’m so grateful for the “yet” in the above passage. It means that even though I’m fighting a difficult battle right now, God has a purpose in it and will use it for His glory.

Even though I feel depressed most of the time and I have little to no energy – yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

Even though my mind swirls with unwanted thoughts that incite fear and doubt – yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

Even though I have no idea if/when there will be a break-through in my treatment – yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

It’s so easy to say that I will rejoice in the Lord in the midst of trials…but will I truly practice this? I want to. I don’t want my attitude and actions to be dependent upon my circumstances. I want to be grounded in my relationship with God and my knowledge of His Word. I want to have true joy!

So what is your “even though?” And how well are you doing with rejoicing in the Lord in the midst of your suffering? Let’s pray for each other regarding this! ❤

 

Photo by David Marcu on Unsplash