During the past year, He has made Himself completely and abundantly clear that I am loved by Him in a way that He will not let me escape, run from or hide away no matter the tremendous effort I have (ashamed to say) given some days. Sadly, I have tried to side with the enemy and believe that this "all things work out for our good" is simply not true. I wanted to accept that circumstances that I did not "like" meant I was being punished when the truth was so clearly the opposite. God stripped my life of things to drop me to my knees at His very feet. To stop my path of selfishness and turn my shoulders around to see those standing so close to me who need my love and desire to pour theirs onto me, as well. I am so overwhelmed with thankfulness due to His pursuit of me that I have anxiously awaited this Lent season. Anything that draws me closer to my Savior...well, sign me up!
I understand that the most special aspect of this "occasion" is the attitude the heart. And, that indeed, is what excites me the most. My heart belongs to my God. Whatever He asks of me, I want to be wiling to obey. It's real life. It's dirty, yucky and plain right H.A.R.D. However, when my heart is focused on the cross, everything else seems....just silly! It took a real tough year to get me to where I truly know this despite how I may "feel." Where I can say "it is well with my soul" and feel it deep down to my toes. My God is for me!!!! Wahoo~that is worth shouting over! There is nothing I want to be except T.o.t.a.l.l.y. and completely HIS!
It's easy to get caught up in the rituals surrounding this occasion and all that it technically means to those who observe the traditions. To me, its another way to lay down my heart before Him and repent of my terrible weak, sinful habits. An effort to beg Him to expose in me ways I can rid myself of ME so that I can, in turn, become more like His Son.
As I sat in the local christian bookstore this morning with my favorite cup of coffee and my devotional "gear" ready for some one on one time with my Savior, I decided to shift through my journal from the past year. Square in the face, God hit my with the exact thing He wanted me to see this morning. A statement I had pondered over and journaled on last January needed to resurface in my life.
"Your weakness will stay magnified and unused as long as you focus on it instead of the strength of God it's meant to unleash." Gideon~Priscilla Shirer
I'm no spring chicken, I know that the more you focus on something the larger and more evident it is. My mom taught me years ago that the bigger deal I make of something, the bigger deal it will actually become. So, that wasn't the part of this statement that settled in on me.
It was the word "unused." God intended our weaknesses as a way to for us to be used by Him. Hiding and being ashamed of my weakness is only forbidding God to use me and allowing Satan to win. ~DING~
That can be more simply stated as PRIDE. Ouch! It was a call to step up. A time to own them as what they are...a part of me that needs redeeming. Not for a week or a short period of time and then try to cover them up again, but really OWN them as part of what makes me LOVABLE---NOT what makes me worthless. Without them, I wouldn't need God and He couldn't use me. Don't know about you, but without a weakness, then what good am I to the Kingdom? Despite the judgement, the lesser value to some and downcast looks, I can happily say "I am weak in areas so I can be made strong in Him." That is news I can definitely rejoice over!
The Weak can become Strong~
We traveled to Uncle Matt Matt's cabin this weekend to watch Ailee compete in a gym meet. I get amazed when I see her in her element. She literally beams with the brightest smiles and I can feel her joy from the stands. She's doing what she loves and it makes her feel strong and worthy. Yet, not every time is a win. How she handles those days is what makes me love her so. She comes out stronger when she recognizes her weaknesses. I believe God designed our spiritual lives to be the same exact way. I got a few pictures back from a sweet mother on the team who enjoys capturing these girls doing their thing. I cherish them and every time I think to myself "dang, she already looks stronger than last meet." She identifies her obstacles and tackles them with faith rather than fear. I can learn a lot from this cute, little gymnast. And, its not any of the skills you see below. But accepting my faults can ultimately make my heart a stronger vessel for the one who made me.
Here's to Lent---a time to pause and ask for renewal through recognizing, accepting and blooming in who we are in Christ.
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 1 Cor. 11:30
...My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. 1 Cor. 12:9
"The fact that God's power is displayed in our weaknesses should give us courage and hope. As we recognize our limitations, we will depend more on God for our effectiveness rather than on our own energy, effort or talent. Our limitations not only help develop Christian character but also deepen our worship, because in admitting them, we affirm God's strength."
(commentary from Life Application Study Bible book of 1 Cor. 12)
Radiating JOY...
Someone who trains us, disciplines us, believes in us, holds us up when we fall and cheers us on when we succeed...
1 comment:
So thankful that our God uses weak things. Thank you for writing about it. His strength is magnified in this! No doubt. Blessed by your friendship.
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