Weaknesses are Good

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

If I’m not careful, I can turn God’s Word into a self-improvement plan. Self-improvement is defined as improvement through one’s own efforts. God doesn’t want me to spend all of my energies trying to eradicate my weaknesses. He can overcome my weaknesses by helping me to walk in spite of them. My weaknesses help me to rely on God. If I succeed in getting rid of them, I would be tempted to do everything in my strength and there is no real power in that. It was never God’s plan for me to just improve myself. But it is God’s plan for me to gain strength from His word and go forth and help people in a multitude of ways. I can spend so much time trying to fix my weaknesses that I never get around to doing anything for God.

Overburdened?

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” ~ Matthew 11:28-30

I often can carry heavy burdens because I’m trying to do things that I don’t need to do. I try to do what I feel is expected of me from other people. Jesus wants to lift that burden from me. He wants me to do what He has planned for me. He doesn’t want me to be overburdened by pressures I create in my own mind in order to please people. His yoke for me is no burden at all because it fits how he created me. If I bend over backwards trying to perform by doing what everyone around me wants me to do, all I get is pressured and tired. I can’t do everything that I see around me. I can’t be everywhere that people want me to be. But I can do what I’m called to do by God for His glory. That’s where I need to expend my efforts.

Be Still

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” ~ Psalm 46:10

When I am still and I don’t let the loud messages of the world in, I will hear God’s whispers. My attention honors Him and He speaks. I don’t hear condemnation even when I deserve it. I hear love. I hear the best ways to live my life in order to live it well. I hear that my happiness comes when I realize that my happiness is connected to helping other people. When I do the things that have been planted deep in my soul, helping others will be the result. Most of all, I hear that my life isn’t really about me—it’s about God and others.