Strength/Weakness

II Cor. 12:9. “ My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.”

I’m a fixer. I want circumstances to fit together. I want people to get along. I want appliances to work. I crave calmness. Candles and soft music are a needful combination to encourage serenity in my life.

And yet, the best I can do, I find I have ruffled days. I am realizing that it is easy to tap into the mentality that we should have a life free from care and spend most of our time trying to escape the hard.  But I know differently. I haven’t spent over 60 years living to be deceived. Life is tough. I am weak. The only real contentment comes in the deep, solid faith in One who makes us strong in our weaknesses. 

I was enlightened this week by the thought that Paul’s defined weakness is not just our flawed personality or being in a tight place because of bad choices. I believe this weakness is defined as people, circumstances, and afflictions that we can do nothing about. It’s LIFE. He said Satan used the weaknesses he was experiencing to “buffet” him. In other words, to upset and cause inner and outer turmoil. 

How I let people and circumstances or a day of physical pain toss my emotions about! It seems I’m forever learning that it’s not the things happening in my life that’s as distressing as the way I handle it. 

So just as Satan uses it in His way. God’s way is always to keep us from pride and self exaltation! Lest we glory when life always goes well and nothing disturbs us,  God let’s us experience weakness and thus learn humility.  I’m pretty sure God thinks humility is more important than comfort or freedom from pain. He has chosen embarrassment and humiliation  and pain for centuries to make men strong. 

So on my way this morning, I was hurried, feeling pushed and a good bit wishing for just a day of “calm living”. Feeling overwhelmed by my human limitations, and hurting for the hurting, I wanted to feel peaceful.  I felt totally helpless to change circumstances that need changing. And God speaks to me in my weakness to give me strength. I didn’t have the opportunity to sit quietly, soak up some soothing music or absorb the scented aroma of a candle. It happened by His graciousness in making me aware that He is being glorified through every event of this day, of this week. Only if I see it His way. How can such strength come through such weakness? It can only happen through the Holy Spirit. I was thrilled this morning to be reminded that “Greater is He that is in you than  he that is in the world.” I am ashamed of how I am so affected by the common thinking of the world. 

And how often I have to be reminded to let loose of my self sufficiency and trust!!

I Have Given You Authority

Luke 10:19

“I give unto you  power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

I have recently been experiencing a good bit of joint pain. Knowing that it can be crippling, I’ve tried to apply myself to what I can do to help improve the pain. I always elude to my diet and exercise patterns and try to address change in them. It’s not easy and not fun and requires a lot of effort!! The power to do so takes a lot of willpower. But the fear of being overtaken by pain and disability gives me strength to keep pursuing.

I don’t like snakes or spiders and I believe I am only one of many who avoid contact with them. We shudder, step around, run from and in general stay as far as possible from them!

I read the above scripture this morning about Jesus giving power to step on them. I realize this is not literal, but it does imply that we do have authority over  negative and unpleasant things in our life. Meaning that we have to realize the danger these things present and the possibility of them hurting or killing us. And taking action...

Aren’t we all tempted in our lives to run from our problems,  which causes us to continually be dodging, hiding from, and failing to confront our needs. It’s easy to feel crippled, and distracted.  We feel overwhelmed at the need for constant persistence and pushing in our daily living. It’s so easy to feel burdened and even trapped into corners with unhappiness and weariness staring us in the face.  Depression has become a given in so many people’s lives!!

I’m reminded that Jesus lived and taught that we can have power to rise above the poison and venom that comes from the power of the enemy. Discouragement, depression, fear and defeat are all his tools. They will destroy us. 

But Christ has given us authority to tread on these things and He said if we avail ourselves of His weapon, nothing shall harm us!

The next verse (20) says to then not rejoice that we have such power. That is our weapon!! . In other words, don’t abuse that power, but rejoice that we can live in such a way that we know our names are written in Heaven.  That assurance will drive away all darkness and give us peace and calmness surpassing anything else in life. 

How easy it is to just live uninspired, hum drum, depressing lives feeling that evil lurks around every corner.  Instead, we should confidently be facing and treading upon everything oppressing and discouraging that is waiting to attack us. 

Let’s put on some shoes with some tread!!

 

Grace and Salt

Colossians 4:6 “ Let your  speech be always grace, seasoned with salt.” Grace being a word that is defined as refinement or finesse.

I think all of us, can be encouraged by the tone, quality,  and manner  of conversation with each other.   We can easily offend people by the use of unnecessary or ungracious words that we insert into our conversation. Nothing can expose us so much as our speech.

 I have great admiration for many people in my life who are gracious ladies and true gentleman in their actions and in their conversation.  I want to spend a lot of time in their presence and learn from them. I am lifted up and encouraged just by their manners.

 Then there are those, who personally offend me by the looseness and crudeness of their talk. They don’t hesitate to insert a questionable joke or use borderline by words. I just want to address the use of by words today.

 My daddy was raised without a mother.  She died when  he was very young and he didn’t  have much training in manners or anything else. However, he was saved at a young age, and God turned him into one of the best examples of manhood I have ever known. He took special care to teach us all respect and honor to God and others at the table, our treatment of each other and in our conversation. He truly learned to use and teach grace and salt in all he did.

One of the things he did was to steer us away from using by words. He took scripture seriously about using God’s  name vainly and not using words that were empty and senseless and substituted for profanity or crudeness.  Because if that, I have learned to filter my conversation.

I observe that by words are side doors to profanity. If a person constantly fills their conversation with them, they become stronger and more colorful. This generation, schooled by the previous one who had loosened up their conversation considerably, are interlacing very offensive by words in their general talk. This has bled over into the so called Christian realm, as well. I am appalled at the use of substitute words for human excrement in general small talk. “Jesus” and “Christ”are used frequently in conversation!  Not only are these words being often used in general conversation, But when people get upset or angry, they are using expletives that are very unbecoming. They would not say they were using profanity, as such, but they are using words that are certainly a substitute for profanity. I find it far removed from being gracious and seasoned and very it is unbecoming to those who profess to be mirroring Christ.

I recall hearing a discourse this summer that challenged us with the thought that we are who we are only under stress. What comes out of our mouth then, are truly what’s in the heart. For out of the heart, the mouth speaketh, so says the Word.

We are so affected by the world around us...it is alarming to see how we sometimes, unaware, are pulled into imitating them in so many things we do. But when filtered through scripture, we can clearly see that change is needed.

Clean conversation is a must. Grace is the salt that seasons our discourse and should clearly reflect
what our label is. We can talk “God stuff” all day long, and then when upset, spout crude and unseasoned words that can destroy every good thing spoken!

We can even spiritualize our by words! Our use of sayings like “ Lord, have mercy”, used loosely, can be qualified as vain and useless. I challenge us to use even those phrases that sound good in the right way

Let’s teach our children by example how to use our conversation with grace and salt!!

Such a Time as This

  

I was recently blessed to take a little dream of a trip with my 3 daughters. Laughing and crying our time through some blessed days, I came back to reality with a jolt after tearfully sending them back to where their hearts were: their homes..

Looking out my kitchen window, tears flowed as I gazed at red dirt, boards, clutter and debris from a prolonged construction project that has challenged my faith a whole lot!! 

While shopping with my girls, I saw a new little saying on some shelf sitter signs that said: " You were created for such a time as this".  Referring to Esther's call in Esther 4:14. Numerous times it popped up on a plaque.  I mentioned it to the girls. Something unique and new...

That little phrase came to memory after I realized I was feeling overwhelmed... I decided to take it as my motto. I remembered the day God said to me, "Go... Do..." I went. I'm doing. It's my challenge to remember why I'm here! 

A few tears cleansed me. A long car ride soothed me. A day away calmed me. And all the above were good.. but I needed more.

So through this week, I have looked for reminders and blessings. It came in the form of an awakening motivational talk at our Spring Fundraiser. A survivor who told of his childhood. The heart breaking story of what he suffered as a child. I am truly blessed. 

I feel so grateful for the wonderful news of hearts and purses opened to bless this present Project  so liberally! I was horrified when the Oklahoma fires threatened friends' homes, only to feel so thankful when God switched the wind just in time! This was followed by disappointment that we couldn't do our planned awareness float in the local parade because of heavy rain. Reminded through it, that God was answering prayers for Him to drench all of Oklahoma!

I listened to a tearful plea from a terminally ill young mother with children reminding us not to complain. Every day is a gift from God. I kept my mouth shut when freezing temperatures forced us to pull out hoodies and boots when Spring should be here!! 

And when you are feeling blessed, you go way on back! I remembered the time when my living room suite was looking ratty and I walked into my house to see a beautiful new one complete with window treatments!! It was specially blessed and served 3 households through the years!  And the time we outgrew the family car and took a last trip in it that our son could hardly fold his legs into. Only to be handed the keys to a van.... Oh and the time our house sold before it was ever For Sale when I asked God to send someone to my door to buy it. I could go on!!

And today, I cried through the blessing of song as I listened to a little congregation gathering on a Sunday afternoon to give praise to God. Those songs were for me!!

I am blessed. Lord;  make me an Esther... He has created me for today and such a time as this. He is calling me to strength and courage. He is making me strong and courageous with challenges and setbacks. The challenges lead me to faith and prayer. His faithfulness to remind me of my calling has stirred me. I am blessed!!

Controlling Our Spirit

I recently spent some time with a lovely lady who has suffered great setbacks and hurts in her life. Thinking a little time together to perk her day up might be a good thing,  I invited her to spend a few hours together with me. 

In my life, I have had plenty opportunity to listen to a lot of people's stories.  Some folks vent, some folks openly blame, some criticize, some despair, but few let difficult experiences and criticism be a time to learn and grow.

I parted ways with this beautiful lady thinking, "I don't know when I have felt so blessed by sharing."  She was so positive about learning and growing and going forward.  She had control of her spirit and her emotions in a very impressive way.  To my thinking, she has let God mold her into a gracious, sweet, fun loving person who I would not hesitate to invite into my day again!!

Which lead me to analyze my own impression that I make on others. Do I have control of my own spirit? Very often, we let circumstances of the past, unhappiness with the present or fear of the future affect the way we converse or feel around others.

How easy is it to let other's negative words or bad behavior open up a desire to tell someone else to invite sympathy or to discuss the situation in a less than desirable way? How often do we fail to identify jealousy or envy in our own lives when we are using the failures of others to justify ourselves?  Do we consider the fact that the fault we find in others often is the very conduct we embrace in our own selves?  Isn't it easy to let a bad mood or depression overtake us when life turns on us?

Once we let down our guard, and allow negativity take over, we break down portions of the protective wall that surrounds us through our commitment to living and practicing the Word and letting Christ be reflected in us. So many holes in our walls sometimes. And where there are holes, there are enemies trying to come in and take over our spirit!

I'd safely say that every failure starts with the embracing of bitterness or self pity and not identifying it, thus letting it take over and control us.

So, Lord, help me to control my spirit, which protects my reactions, which lead to what I think, which affects what comes out of my mouth, which becomes my reputation, which always relates to my fellow man! And if I profess Christ, I have directly influenced their impression of Him. And thus my faith and theirs is destroyed!!