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. Corinthians 12:9
Jesus told Paul 3 times the above statement. Admidst of much suffering that God's people endure, He says that His grace is sufficient for us. The weaknesses seen we see in ourselves ought to be the pointer toward His strength. Even more, we are to "boast" of our weaknesses. Guess theverse sums it all out. Yet, what is this GRACE that could be so sufficient and so great that Paul would mention it over and over again througout all his letters? What had made him so convinced and obligated to talk about this GRACE?
AND what is GRACE to you? Is it what is known as "the gift we do not deserve"? Or would you describe it as the movements of that pretty balerina? The eagle maybe?
Throughout the month of October, not.Weak.blog will be opening a discussion on "GRACE". Leave a 'Comment' at the end of this box on what is grace and how has it impacted your life, if at all. After all, at the end of our journey of knowing Jesus this side of heaven, we'd probably be sent of with a solemn (should not be) song of Amazing GRACE.
3 comments:
Fantastic exposition about the paradoxical way God works. Recently I have been struggling with performance, doing well with work, friends and other areas of everyday life. Through these trials, God has graciously reminded me that on our own one cannot accomplish what the world is trying mold us into doing. And as the apostle Paul keenly understood, it is when we proclaim His love and mercy that one can truly live free and in a powerful way that will glorify God.
I struggle every day with my relationships with people at work and with friends and family. I have depression and do not want to rely on medication. I definitely feel better when I meditate on Jesus the saviour of the world, but it takes so much time, and there are days when I could spend the entire day in bed. I may go through a social experience, and then the next day feel so blue over it because I thought I did or said the wrong thing, and whatever I had wished to accomplish either was not well received, or sunk like a lead balloon. I cannot make up for it, or I am surprised at a person's reaction to me, and I don't want to be thought of as a screwball or wierd, but I feel that way. I moved back to my hometown two years ago after living in NYC and in Westchester for 30 years. I was kind of "exiled" because I ran away from home as a young person. As an emotional reaction to that, I drank, smoked, stole, had eating disorders, and other things. I have had therapy, I recovered from alcoholism through AA, and stopped stealing, but I still have problems with food. In my early years I also was far too sexual, and impulsive, but i took care of myself through all of that. I was self sufficient, and worked and pursued things in my life so i ended up pretty happy in my mid thirties with my work, my friends and career. Then after age 40, I fell into a deep depression and have never truly gotten out of it -- even with the help of therapy. This is why I rely on God and Jesus so much. I am competent at my chosen professions but I always feel second best, unaccepted, and argumentative (lately). In this newer environment I am finding it hard to make friends and I find myself (in menopause) actually saying my mind so much i feel that i truly offend people. My siblings and I are taking care of the needs of our aging parents, I am well situated with a home and a husband, I look OK on the outside. How can i bring Jesus into my life for greater healing? Please ask Jesus and God to heal my hurt heart and brain. I can't seem to find peace. I really have to work hard for any desire to go on. Susan
Dear Susan
You ask 'How can i bring Jesus into my life for greater healing?" May I say that you simply invite him into your life and he is in. He pormises that he will never leave you nor forsake you. You may leave him, you may forget that he is in you, but he will not leave you. Talk to him as if you are talking to a friend...expose your hurts and pains to him and he will begin the healing. Cry out to him, call on his name. Once you have exposed and surrendered a hurt to him, through a conversation with him (prayer) then you can take it that that is forgiven and healed. That is the promise of his word. He will renew your mind when you allow him to, simply just ask....the rest is His.
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