Today, as I met with the Lord during my morning devotions, I was blown away by today's Jesus Calling. Here's what I read:
"Living in Dependence on Me is a glorious adventure.
Most people scurry around busily, trying to accomplish things through their own strength and ability. Some succeed enormously; others fail miserably. But both groups miss what life is meant to be:
Living and working in collaboration with Me.
When you depend on Me continually, your whole perspective changes. You see miracles happening all around, while others see only natural occurrences and "coincidences."
You begin each day with joyful expectation, watching to see what I will do.
You accept weakness as a gift from Me, knowing that My Power plugs in most readily to consecrated weakness.
You keep your plans tentative, knowing that My plans are far superior.
You keep your plans tentative, knowing that My plans are far superior.
You consciously live, move, and have your being in Me, desiring that I live in you.
I in you, and you in Me.
I in you, and you in Me.
This is the intimate adventure I offer you."
After reading this, I felt convicted and comforted at the same time.
I am a person who likes to plan my life. I greatly enjoy looking forward to what's ahead, and laying my plans out to be the way I want them.
Are you seeing why I felt convicted?
So, as I read through these thought provoking words for a second and third time, I realized something pretty cool. This message wasn't to make me feel bad about making plans and hoping for what's ahead in the future, but more, it was to encourage me to lay those plans at the feet of Jesus.
As I admit to my weaknesses and my hypothetical near-sightedness, and as I invite the Lord into my plans more and more, He is going to use my weaknesses for His glory.
In the world we live in today, we are taught to hide our weaknesses and focus on displaying our strengths. In the plans of Jesus, we are to "neon-sign' display our weaknesses to the world so that He can miraculously display His glory through us.
That's the part that's comforting. We don't have to hide our weaknesses. We don't have to rely only on our strength (never a good plan).
As I learn to rely on the Lord more and more, I realize that He wants to come through for me, and as I trust and expect him to come through---He does.
Here's what the apostle Paul has to say on the subject:
"But the Lord said to me, '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
Comforted?
I know I am.
As I admit to my weaknesses and my hypothetical near-sightedness, and as I invite the Lord into my plans more and more, He is going to use my weaknesses for His glory.
In the world we live in today, we are taught to hide our weaknesses and focus on displaying our strengths. In the plans of Jesus, we are to "neon-sign' display our weaknesses to the world so that He can miraculously display His glory through us.
That's the part that's comforting. We don't have to hide our weaknesses. We don't have to rely only on our strength (never a good plan).
As I learn to rely on the Lord more and more, I realize that He wants to come through for me, and as I trust and expect him to come through---He does.
Here's what the apostle Paul has to say on the subject:
"But the Lord said to me, '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
Comforted?
I know I am.
No comments:
Post a Comment