Tag: weakness

Boasting in Weakness

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you. for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Ever thanked God for your temptations or weaknesses?

For how you are tempted to sin?

There are many ways we can be tempted in our flesh.

Eating too much, addictions to sugar, alcohol, drugs, or technology.

Reacting in anger, putting others down, or thinking of ourselves always first.

Even wanting to do the right thing, whatever it may be, but instead listening to our flesh, following it instead.

What are your temptations or your weaknesses?

Have you thanked God for them?

Thanked God for being weak?

I know, sounds foreign. Almost like why would I thank God for where I am weak?

When you thank God, you recognize your need for His power through you.

You recognize your need for His strength covering your weakness with His power.

Your need for not only God’s saving grace, but His every day grace transforming you into your new person God created you to become.

When you thank God, you allow His power to shine through your weakness as resisting your temptation is possible through God alone.

2 Corinthians reminds us to boast in our weakness. To recognize them positively.

Because God shines through our weakness, making us strong.

If you had everything all together, all your ducks in a row, why would you need God?

Why would you need to rely on His strength?

You wouldn’t. You’d be fine on your own. You’d never admit your need for a Savior.

We are human. Flawed. Weak.

But when we submit our weak selves unto Almighty God, we are transformed, slowly, into His likeness.

Thank Him today for your flaws. For where you are weak. When temptation knocks at your door.

Then respond with God’s strength. He’ll shut the door for you.

And you’ll rest peacefully, knowing you don’t have to do it all.

Knowing you can’t do it all.

But God can and He will.

Photos by Ýlona María Rybka, Debby Hudson, Ales Maze, & Miglena Georgieva on Unsplash

Too Familiar

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

Are you used to Him? to God?

Meaning, the very fact that He is literally right with you does not bring you to your knees in awe?

I am, I’ll admit it. Too familiar.

I take for granted my daily devotions.

My worship time at church and home.

My multitudinous Bibles.

My job, which allows me to speak of His goodness whenever I wish.

I’m not saying that’s all a bad thing.

We should be used to God.

We should be so clothed with His presence and likeness others see Him not us.

We should be familiar with His word, His ways, and how He wants us to conduct ourselves.

But we must remain in awe.

In awe of His goodness.

In awe of His salvation.

In awe of Him.

May we pause to bow before Him, acknowledging our weakness made perfect only in Him.

May we humbly bring our requests only after thanking Him for all He does for us.

May we remember who we are in comparison to God, who created us and all things.

And may we recognize how much we continually need Him.

Thank you, Lord, for closing the separation from You to us through your son, Jesus.

May we remain always humble, recognizing our desperate need from our Savior each and every day.

Photos by Aliane Schwartzhaupt, Joshua Earle, & Alicia Quan on Unsplash

Secure Feet

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:3-4

Remember the beginning?

The psalm starts by intentionally looking to God for help, acknowledging that our help comes from God, the Creator of all things.

And as we recognize our weakness, we know God will help us.

Why?

Because He made all things.

Even us.

Verse 3 goes on to describe His help.

God’s protection is secure.

Within Him, even your foot will stay still.

You will not fall down with God’s help.

When you ask Him to work through you, His purposes are fulfilled through you.

He will keep you within Him.

Safe.

Solid.

Secure.

But it gets better.

God does not sleep.

He’s always awake, helping us, protecting us, keeping us secure.

There will never be a time when God is not willing to help you.

Never a time when He won’t be with you.

The Lord keeps us.

Is there anything special you keep safe and secure?

That’s how God feels about us.

He keeps us safe within Him.

We may face unimaginable trials in this life, but we can rest assured God is always with us, keeping us with Him.

In the dead of night, God is there for you.

In the pit of despair, He’s there, too.

Whether on the first day of school or the last,

When new life arrives or goes,

When relationships flourish or suffer,

When wearing masks or not,

God is always present, even wanting to help you.

Reach out to Him.

Empty yourself of you, asking God to help you with absolutely everything.

We can do nothing without Him.

But with Him, we can do anything He asks of us.

God, who never sleeps, keeps us close.

And with Him helping you, your feet will stay securely planted just where He wants them.

Photos by Michał Parzuchowski, Brina Blum, & Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash

Daily Effort

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

olia-gozha-51569-unsplash

Walking in life-giving steps requires daily effort.

Deliberately stepping into what God has for you is a choice.

It’s rather easy to stumble, falling into death.

Death?

Walking into self-pity.

Agreeing with rejection.

Joining with unloving.

Listening to fear.

Satan knows our weaknesses.

Tempting us is rather easy as we are so used to succumbing to his pitiful ways.

We are so weak.

Yet, with God, we are strong.

So very strong, we have literally no idea.

No idea, whatsoever, what power is ours.

Power that can shut down the devil’s temptations in an instant.

ben-white-137387-unsplash

Guard yourself.

Guard myself, how?

Writing down your precious blessings from God.

Listing scriptures which proclaim the truth of God over the lies of Satan.

Tuning into worship music, filling your brain with the praises of God.

Telling fear to go.

Cancelling the assignments of rejection.

Declaring God’s power over all.

Then stepping back in line with life.

The life hidden under God’s all-powerful wings.

But you must also choose to stay.

Choose to stay aligned with God.

Completely.

Walking with God produces life.

He’ll take all of your fears and lay them to rest.

Believe Him.

Because He is life.

Your life nestled safely in His hands.

Photos by Olia Gozha & Ben White on Unsplash

Temptations

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. Psalm 38:9

What are yours?

Your temptations?

Believing the worst about someone because of your own personal wounds?

Sneaking off early or wasting time at work because you feel you deserve it?

Not correcting the clerk who hands you extra change?

Embracing self-pity if you feel wronged, even if that was not the intention?

Succumbing to fear of the future when you are uncertain of life?

Satan tempts us according to our weaknesses and personality.

However,

When we belong to Jesus, His power in us keeps us from falling into temptation.

But ONLY when we decide.

That’s worth saying again:

God’s power in us keeps us from acting upon our temptation ONLY when we decide not to succumb.

 Satan’s goal is to remove our connection to God through temptation.

When we loose our connection to God, we are of no value to God.

God’s light in us becomes covered by sin.

And He cannot bring others to Himself through us.

Think back to a recent time when you were tempted to let your mood slide into the toilet.

When you succumbed, were you of value to God?

If you lashed out as a result, the opposite is true.

Ouch.

If Satan helps you to become of zero value to God, then what does it matter if you are God’s child?

Yes, your eventual heavenly reward, but I’m talking about our mission here and now.

Your every day life.

Your interactions with family, friends, and the great big world.

Recognize your weaknesses.

Look for Satan’s temptations to slam you to the ground.

And next time, instead of agreeing with the Tempter, declare “but NONE one of these things affect me”. (see post)

Stand instead with God, keeping His power simmering within you,

showing the world His great love.

Photos by Laura Baker & Ricardo Cruz on Unsplash