I don't think this is going to take long. I just want to shed some light on a simple concept. Yet it's so, so profound. And of course beautiful.
God has this ringing in my life lately. And though I don't FULLY understand it yet, what I do understand, I want to share.
He really awakened this scripture to me a couple years ago. It was timely for me. And so was the understanding He gave me. But there was so much more. And I'm sure there is still more. That's what I love about Him. He goes so deep and has so many facets. And He will always open up something to us that lines right up with our life and who we are. He shows a part of Himself to us that begins to pave a path in front of us.... "Follow Me..."
In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul is in a place we are all familiar with. He likens it to having a thorn in his flesh. Then he proceeds to say it is to buffet him. That is the part that God opened up for me last time. He was preparing me for seasons of adversity. When He would allow a thorn in my flesh. And I would want it to go away or "depart from me". Because it was buffeting me. It didn't feel good. But as I experienced this scripture, I realized why it didn't feel good. Of course, in general, it hurt. Whenever someone hurts us or does something that effects us, it is painful. But there were also places in my flesh that it was irritating. Rights that I thought I had, that I didn't want to let go of. He was teaching me NOT to focus on the person or what the person did. Because what they did was testing something in me. Just as much as that person was in the wrong, there was somewhere in me that I was in the wrong too because of the reaction within me. I cry out all the time for God to humble me and I realized, this is His answer. He came to bring me low in my flesh, so that my Spirit could arise.
Which brings me to the second part. During situations that bring pressure it shows us characters in others, but it also shows us our own character. A lot of times, I feel like there is something that I can do. And I get so frustrated and disappointed in myself when I can't. The truth is, I can't change my own character. I am human and I am weak and sick in some areas (infirmity). For the longest time, that bothered me so much. Because I know the Lord's heart and I know what's right. And I just wanted to be that for Him and them.
For months I kept thinking of this phrase "come as you are". And it wasn't until lately that it finally sunk in. Jesus begins to speak to Paul about what Paul's going through and this is what Jesus says:
2Co 12:9
And he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
I think we underestimate the power of His Grace upon us. His Grace is every thing He has ever shown up to me as. Things He has shown me about Himself or myself. Or times that Him and I have spent together. It's this precious gift that I sometimes take for granted. It's the access I have to Him. It's the weapons He has equip me with previously...to meditate on and remember. That in itself, when I allow it to resonate in my mind even a little, blows me away. He Loves me that much. And His ways are so beautiful and perfect.
I was laying in my bed the other day, feeling so weak. And almost sick. And it was getting the best of me. It started to become an oppression. And as I was laying there I remembered Paul saying " Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
Why? Why does he say that?! Because he understands "come as you are". We aren't already supposed to be "strong" and "perfect". We are weak. We are sick. And that is what His Grace is for. To come in those places and awaken strength by the power of Christ. It's an honest surrender. "I can't do this!" We'll never make it, if we think we can (off our own strength). And we'll keep giving life to legalism and adding to our spiritual death. Through our union with Him and through turning to Him, we resurrect out of these places. Those thorns in our flesh begin to change our character if we let them. As we sit at His feet in our weakness, He reminds us of His Grace and we are strengthened. We begin to see differently. And this brings great humility. Because it's nothing we can do! Nothing we can give ourselves glory for. It is His Grace and Mercy upon us that breathes Life into us. It's His Love that resuscitates us. We aren't good without Him. He is the good in us.
It's ok to be weak. It took me a long time to accept that. And I'm still trying to swallow it. But it's true. We can't do anything else but come as we are to Him. There's something so beautiful and powerful in that. We don't have to go to Him right. HE makes us right. There's so much more in all of this. But I just really wanted to make one point.
This surrender is sometimes painful, but I guarantee it's one of the most liberating. I hope the breath that He has breathed in me, breathes in you too.
Here's to freedom! : )
MLB
God has this ringing in my life lately. And though I don't FULLY understand it yet, what I do understand, I want to share.
He really awakened this scripture to me a couple years ago. It was timely for me. And so was the understanding He gave me. But there was so much more. And I'm sure there is still more. That's what I love about Him. He goes so deep and has so many facets. And He will always open up something to us that lines right up with our life and who we are. He shows a part of Himself to us that begins to pave a path in front of us.... "Follow Me..."
In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul is in a place we are all familiar with. He likens it to having a thorn in his flesh. Then he proceeds to say it is to buffet him. That is the part that God opened up for me last time. He was preparing me for seasons of adversity. When He would allow a thorn in my flesh. And I would want it to go away or "depart from me". Because it was buffeting me. It didn't feel good. But as I experienced this scripture, I realized why it didn't feel good. Of course, in general, it hurt. Whenever someone hurts us or does something that effects us, it is painful. But there were also places in my flesh that it was irritating. Rights that I thought I had, that I didn't want to let go of. He was teaching me NOT to focus on the person or what the person did. Because what they did was testing something in me. Just as much as that person was in the wrong, there was somewhere in me that I was in the wrong too because of the reaction within me. I cry out all the time for God to humble me and I realized, this is His answer. He came to bring me low in my flesh, so that my Spirit could arise.
Which brings me to the second part. During situations that bring pressure it shows us characters in others, but it also shows us our own character. A lot of times, I feel like there is something that I can do. And I get so frustrated and disappointed in myself when I can't. The truth is, I can't change my own character. I am human and I am weak and sick in some areas (infirmity). For the longest time, that bothered me so much. Because I know the Lord's heart and I know what's right. And I just wanted to be that for Him and them.
For months I kept thinking of this phrase "come as you are". And it wasn't until lately that it finally sunk in. Jesus begins to speak to Paul about what Paul's going through and this is what Jesus says:
2Co 12:9
And he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
I think we underestimate the power of His Grace upon us. His Grace is every thing He has ever shown up to me as. Things He has shown me about Himself or myself. Or times that Him and I have spent together. It's this precious gift that I sometimes take for granted. It's the access I have to Him. It's the weapons He has equip me with previously...to meditate on and remember. That in itself, when I allow it to resonate in my mind even a little, blows me away. He Loves me that much. And His ways are so beautiful and perfect.
I was laying in my bed the other day, feeling so weak. And almost sick. And it was getting the best of me. It started to become an oppression. And as I was laying there I remembered Paul saying " Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
Why? Why does he say that?! Because he understands "come as you are". We aren't already supposed to be "strong" and "perfect". We are weak. We are sick. And that is what His Grace is for. To come in those places and awaken strength by the power of Christ. It's an honest surrender. "I can't do this!" We'll never make it, if we think we can (off our own strength). And we'll keep giving life to legalism and adding to our spiritual death. Through our union with Him and through turning to Him, we resurrect out of these places. Those thorns in our flesh begin to change our character if we let them. As we sit at His feet in our weakness, He reminds us of His Grace and we are strengthened. We begin to see differently. And this brings great humility. Because it's nothing we can do! Nothing we can give ourselves glory for. It is His Grace and Mercy upon us that breathes Life into us. It's His Love that resuscitates us. We aren't good without Him. He is the good in us.
It's ok to be weak. It took me a long time to accept that. And I'm still trying to swallow it. But it's true. We can't do anything else but come as we are to Him. There's something so beautiful and powerful in that. We don't have to go to Him right. HE makes us right. There's so much more in all of this. But I just really wanted to make one point.
This surrender is sometimes painful, but I guarantee it's one of the most liberating. I hope the breath that He has breathed in me, breathes in you too.
Here's to freedom! : )
MLB
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