2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

How do you picture life?

Do you view it from above, seeing everything behind you, the mess you’re standing in, and the foggy distance?

Or do you see only what’s now? Literally what’s directly in front of your nose?

If you want to know what I think, I think we often see things in different ways.

Thoughtful times causes the past to look so precious, stretched out way behind our lovely selves.

Tough times can block our view of God’s faithfulness in the past, causing us to see only our frustrated present.

When you’re feeling great, the family is peaceful, and all your ducks are in a row, it’s easy to view your life from above: a casual observer of the wonderful space of time you currently sit.

Times of stress can cause our walls to almost cave inwards; as if life around us is defined as a literal wall.

Wall of what? Well, stuff, stress, noise, to do’s, or pure anxiety.

I’ve been stressed lately. Why? Well, life has plopped many large problems directly in my path. And I’ve grown weary of walking all the way around them. Or trying to move them.

But God reminded me today of something: when we are weak, He is strong.

When we are weak, when we have come to the absolute end of our everything, God will pour Himself into us again and again.

When we are done, He is not. In fact God is just getting started.

So if you are at the end, get excited, because God is ready to take over! If you’ll let Him, that is.

I know, we need to daily rely on His strength. And I do. You do. But I’m talking about more stress than normal. Like several big things all at once.

When that happens, it’s easy to become just plain tired. We keep going with God’s help, but our mind doesn’t completely give everything over to God. We don’t because there is just so much. We give God some, but apparantly not all.

Ever happened to you? Well, that was me. And now it’s not.

As I was praying, God showed me His strength over mine. And now I’ll show you.

Picture yourself sitting by a giant wall of water. It can be the ocean if you want.

As you reach up your hand, God grasps it, pulling you up.

He looks at you and waits for your words, “Ready.”

Together, you take a step. A giant step. As you step together, the water parts. Boom!

You take another step together and the water parts even more. As we step, I hear a loud Boom.

Before you know it, you’ve walked together a ways, all on dry land. Just like the Israelites.

Your problems and messes are next to you, but God has walked you through.

With His strength. With His peace. With even His joy.

Join me and keep your hand in His as you purposely place your problems, your joys, and your just right moments with God. He’s not going anywhere. But it’s your choice to go with Him. Or not.

Photos by Matt Hardy and hangjia xu on Unsplash

And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. Luke 4:13

The devil will come tempt you when you were at your weakest.

That’s when he comes.

Do you know when he came to Jesus?

After Jesus had fasted for 40 days.

Luke 4:2 says Jesus was hungry.

Probably the understatement of the year after not eating for 40 days am I right?

After fasting 40 days, Jesus was physically weak.

But that’s when the devil came.

When does the devil come for you?

When does he visit, tempting you to sin or simply help you off the straight and narrow?

When you are weak.

When is that exactly?

Is it after certain situations?

After you listen to lies in your head?

Do you feel weak every day?

When the devil tempted Jesus, He rose up in his weakened state and refused every lie the devil threw at Him.

He refuted the devil’s statements with scripture.

God‘s living word.

Every drop of God’s word breathes life with the power of the Almighty behind every single syllable.

God reminds us, “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. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Put your name in that.

God’s grace is sufficient for me.

God’s power is made perfect in me.

Absolutely incredible. Looking at verse 10, when we are weak, we KNOW God’s power is working through us.

When I am weak, I am strong because Jesus covers me with Himself.

When I am weak, I am strong because Jesus’ strength literally replaces my weakness.

Replace means exchange, so my weakness is exchanged for the strength of Almighty God.

Reminds me of 1 Peter 5:7 which calls you to cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.

Put your name in there.

I cast all my anxiety on Jesus because He cares for me.

Time to tell the devil enough.

Next time he tempts you, because he will never quit, stop him with the word of God.