Have you prayed for something for a long time and it still hasn't happened?
It's easy to lose heart and give up. You may even question if God is listening... if He is able to do what you've asked. I want to encourage you today to keep doing what you are doing. God is listening. God has all-power. God cares.
I came across this quote from Richard Foster recently and liked it.
We may not see the end from the beginning, but we keep on doing what we know to do. We pray, we listen, we worship, we carry out the duty of the present moment. What we learned to do in the light of God's love, we also do in the dark of God's absence.
We ask and continue to ask, even though there is no answer.
We seek and continue to seek, even though we do not find.
We knock and continue to knock, even though the door remains shut.
This constant, longing love produces a firmness of life orientation in us. We love God more than the gifts God brings. Like Job, we serve God even if He slays us. Like Mary, we say freely, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as You have said." (Luke 1:38)
May God give you the added faith and strength to keep at it!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Insecurity...good?
Last week I wrote about insecurity and it started me thinking...
God often uses our weaknesses (the things we are insecure about) more than He uses our strengths. We all like to stay in our strengths and not highlight our weaknesses, but God seems to delight in showcasing them.
Think about Bible examples. Peter. What would you say his biggest weakness was? His mouth, right? Peter, who was always saying things and probably regretting it later (I can so relate). God used Peter to be a spokesman for the early church. God took Peter's weakness and used it.
Paul. He had been trusted with some important information (taken up into the third heaven?), so God gave him a thorn - something to keep him humble. We don't know what the thorn was, but it was a constant reminder for Paul to operate in God's strength. He even said that he delighted in his weakness, because God's power was perfected in weakness. (2 Corinthians 10:12)
There are lots more examples.
Gideon was so fearful that when the angel appeared to tell him of God's plan, he was hiding in his family's wine press. God used fearful Gideon to be the leader of an army.
Moses, complained to God that he couldn't speak (maybe he had a speech impediment?), but God used him to speak to the most powerful man on earth (Pharaoh) and demand release for God's people.
Thinking about these examples encourages me. God wants to use me - even my weaknesses. I want to forget them. But He wants to work through them to showcase His greatness - to myself and to others. He doesn't always take away my weaknesses. I guess that keeps me dependent on Him...a good place for me to be.
What are your weaknesses? How can God work through your weakness to bring glory to Himself?
Who would have thought that weakness could be a good thing?
God often uses our weaknesses (the things we are insecure about) more than He uses our strengths. We all like to stay in our strengths and not highlight our weaknesses, but God seems to delight in showcasing them.
Think about Bible examples. Peter. What would you say his biggest weakness was? His mouth, right? Peter, who was always saying things and probably regretting it later (I can so relate). God used Peter to be a spokesman for the early church. God took Peter's weakness and used it.
Paul. He had been trusted with some important information (taken up into the third heaven?), so God gave him a thorn - something to keep him humble. We don't know what the thorn was, but it was a constant reminder for Paul to operate in God's strength. He even said that he delighted in his weakness, because God's power was perfected in weakness. (2 Corinthians 10:12)
There are lots more examples.
Gideon was so fearful that when the angel appeared to tell him of God's plan, he was hiding in his family's wine press. God used fearful Gideon to be the leader of an army.
Moses, complained to God that he couldn't speak (maybe he had a speech impediment?), but God used him to speak to the most powerful man on earth (Pharaoh) and demand release for God's people.
Thinking about these examples encourages me. God wants to use me - even my weaknesses. I want to forget them. But He wants to work through them to showcase His greatness - to myself and to others. He doesn't always take away my weaknesses. I guess that keeps me dependent on Him...a good place for me to be.
What are your weaknesses? How can God work through your weakness to bring glory to Himself?
Who would have thought that weakness could be a good thing?
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