2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV, “But he 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
It doesn’t come naturally to boast about our weaknesses, because weakness isn’t usually associated with strength. But in Christ, it is. The hardships we face, and the temptations we must resist, are opportunities for the power of Christ to illuminate our lives. His power working in us, allows us to accomplish things that we cannot accomplish on our own.
Photo by: Flo Maderebner
Through Him, we are able to remain faithful and work to fulfill the purposes He has for us. His power brings life to situations that seem dead. When we are weary, He makes us strong. In Christ, it’s okay to come to the end of ourselves, because where our strength ends, His strength begins. His grace is sufficient for our every need.
About 10 years ago, I attended a women’s breakfast at church and they gave us the magnet you see in the picture. In the beginning I had it in my desk at work, but for the majority of the time it has been on my refrigerator. I woke up this morning with this verse on my mind. Our help comes from the Lord. We can lift up our eyes to Him everyday. He will perfect everything concerning us (Psalm 138:8).
Psalm 121:1-8 KJV, “1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.“
Psalm 92:4 NIV, “For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.”
The goodness, mercy, kindness and love that God gives to us is a never ending spring of joy. He satisfies the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:16). In Him is everything we could ever need and more. God is a good Father who willingly provides for His children. He always has our best interest at heart.
I know that there are plenty of times in life where we may find ourselves wondering why God allows times of lack when His resources are never ending. We may wonder why He allows pain when He is the Great Healer. We may even question why He allows injustice to wreak havoc in the world around us, since He is the God of Justice.
I think it’s human to have questions. I also think God is big enough to handle our questions and feelings. He desires for us to be honest with Him, and freely share our hearts with Him. He doesn’t stop loving us, even during times where we struggle in our faith. He understands our weaknesses and has compassion on us.
Photo by: edwin josé vega ramos
Philippians 4:12-13 NIV, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Paul struggled too. He went through ups and downs just like we do. He knew that regardless of what he had to endure, He could rely on the strength of Jesus to carry him through. We don’t have to have all the answers. We don’t have to ignore all our feelings. We are precious to the Lord, and He invites us to cast all our cares on Him.
Through Jesus, we have the strength we need to accomplish all we have to. He is our Source. He makes us glad! Whether in plenty or in want, we can trust in Him to carry us through.
2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV,“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
I remember years ago, I was at work making a copy on the copier machine. When the copy came out, the paper was completely blank. There was no image in sight. I held the paper up to the light to see if perhaps the image was just extremely light, but there was nothing. Right at that moment, I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart and say, “Faith is not what is seen, but what is unseen.”
Although walking by faith is one of the greatest privileges of being a Christian, it’s also one of the most challenging aspects of being a Christian. Letting go of the temptation to rely on what our eyes can see, and instead live by faith and trust in a God we cannot see takes strength and perseverance. We can’t do it on our own. God fills us with His Holy Spirit and gives us His Holy Word to empower us to live for Him by faith.
God used a copier machine mishap to remind me that I am to walk by faith and not by sight. As we walk by faith, we learn more about who God is and how He is working in our lives. Although our walk of faith will not be trial-free, we are maturing in Christ Jesus as we journey with Him. So keep walking by faith, one step at a time.
Romans 5:8 NKJV, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
When we are tempted to doubt God’s love for us, this verse gives us the reassurance we need. God sent His son Jesus to take our place, before we even knew we would need a Savior. God has always carried us in His heart, and knew us before we were in our mothers womb.
The love God has for us is not dependent on our actions, because He made amends for us before we were here to perform any actions.
Photo By: Andre Furtado
The love He has for us that caused Him to send Jesus to the cross to die for our sins, is the same love He has for us right now today. He ask us to trust in Him and receive His love.
It’s so simple to question God and doubt His love when we focus on our circumstances. But when we refocus on Jesus, and remember that God demonstrated His love for us through Him, it awakens our hope and strengthens our faith.
Rest in God’s love. He will never fail you. He will supply your needs.
John 8:36 NLT, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
I awaken this morning reminded of what a privilege it is that we can lay our burdens at the foot of the cross. There is rest in Jesus. He takes care of us and will provide all we need. Thinking about His goodness makes me smile. His love brings hope, even in the situations that seem the most hopeless.
There is freedom in Jesus. Freedom from the grasp of sin and shame. Freedom from hurt and pain. Freedom from the lies of the enemy. In Jesus we have freedom to be all that we were created to be. We are free to walk in His truth and light. We are free to say no to the wicked ways of the world.
We are free to be confident in who He is and who we are in Him. The cross where He suffered and died represents freedom. In Him we have abundant life that far surpasses anything the world could ever offer us.
Photo by: Aaron Burden
My favorite hymn is called, “At The Cross” by Isaac Watts.
A few of the words are….“At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith, I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day.”
Be blessed and have a wonderful Sunday. In Jesus Christ you are free!
Psalm 37:23 NLT, “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Last week I stopped by the leasing office at my apartment complex, and turned in my notice to vacate. When I informed the leasing consultant that I would be moving out of state, she asked me where I was going. When I told her Virginia, she immediately perked up and said that she knew a couple that had moved there recently. She said they are a really nice Christian couple, and that the wife is the sister of her pastor. Then after that, she begin to share their story with me.
She told me about Alex, the twenty-one year old son of this couple, who was killed in a motorcycle accident two years ago. He was thrown from his bike and died instantly due to head injuries. She showed me the last picture that Alex had taken with his family before his death.
Alex had always dreamed of living in Virginia. So when he lost his life, his parents and his younger sibling, packed their bags, said goodbye to Florida and moved to Virginia. His parents said that life was short and this was what Alex always wanted, so making the move to Virginia was their way of making his dream come true.
Photo By: Khanh Le
Hearing this story brought tears to my eyes, and the leasing consultant said retelling it gave her goose bumps. Not only had this family lost Alex, but Alex’s Dad was also a cancer survivor. Although their story is one of unimaginable loss, it’s also one of triumph, because I’m sure this family understands what it means to make everyday count. They know first hand how brief our days here on Earth can be. I thanked the leasing consultant for sharing this story with me. It was a vast reminder not to take life for granted.
After I left the leasing office, I couldn’t help but wonder what God has in mind for Alex’s family. I believe He will use their testimony to touch many souls. Hearing their story of faith and perseverance in the midst of tragedy brought me joy.
Jesus always has a way of shining light in the midst of darkness. We just have to be willing to open our eyes to see it, like Alex’s family did. We may not always understand all of God’s plans for our lives, but if we keep obeying Him, He will reveal truth to us. No matter how dark a situation may seem, we can trust Jesus to light our path.
Drawing Closer to Christ 