Thorn In My Pride

 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me...For when I am weak, I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

Just like Paul, we all have an area of weakness, or a "thorn in the flesh," as is mentioned in an earlier verse from this same passage of scripture from Corinthians. We do not know exactly what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was, but it was something that caused the apostle to remain humble and stay in constant contact with God.

Too many people often claim that "trouble makes you stronger." I tend to disagree. Once we recognize our limitations, we must rely on Christ for our strength.  We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than depending on our own energy and individual efforts.

I have faced many situations that have left me feeling completely helpless, weak, and humbled, to say the least.  I have reached the point of having no choice but to rely on Christ for His strength and He certainly carried me through and still is carrying me through to this very day.

Allow God to fill you with His power and you will be stronger than you ever can be on your own!!

Horizon

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed...continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort-for the sake of His good pleasure-is God.  Philippians 2:12-13

  

Recently, I was able to use a painful experience from my past to help minister to a good friend.  Without sharing any details, this was a dark period of my life where I was essentially running away from God, but in all of His glory, God took my shameful failure and worked it into good for His kingdom.

God's awesome power is often found in our weakest and darkest moments.  It brings to mind many of the gripping testimonies that I have heard at places such as Celebrate Recovery-people who have lost everything due to a destructive habit, hang-up, or addiction and with God's love were able to completely turn their lives around.  It's hard to wrap our minds around this concept, but God can always produce positive results in all circumstances, even people's pain. 

If you will allow Him to do so, God will use your life-the good and the bad, to impact people with the good news of the gospel.  During difficult times, it's hard to focus upon God's will and the many blessings He has in store, but you must learn to trust that ALL things work for the greater good of His kingdom!

Meant To Live

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  James 1:2

Monday rolled around yesterday and I was simply worn out.  Everything has been going well at work, in fact, so well that I have been running ragged at work the past few weeks with various meetings and presentations.  When I rely on my own limited resources, I simply don’t have what it takes to make it. 

The more I learn about God, the more I am beginning to understand that He wants me to come to a place of dependence on Him, every single day.

This world wants you to believe that being self-sufficient is the way live, but the truth is, we need to rely more on God’s all-powerful and never-ending strength.

Let us rejoice in our insufficiencies knowing that God’s power is made perfect in weakness.