Some real life:
It's been over two weeks since I've written on here, and since then Thanksgiving has happened, projects were due, papers were due, and now I'm in the midst of finals week. My house could be cleaner, my laundry could be put away, my sink could be empty, but it's not. I could've done better on that Spanish final I just took, I could've gotten to work a few minutes earlier, I could've been kinder to my friend. But I wasn't. My life is made up of choices, and sometimes I go an a long streak of bad ones. And much of the time their not even bad, but I know they could've been better. I know I could've responded in love instead of simply withholding poor reactions and keeping my ugly thoughts to myself. I know I could've given instead of just not spending elsewhere. I know I could've written that last list of thank you's instead of giving into my own complaints. But God. But grace. But God's grace is sufficient for me. I'm already uncomfortable writing this because of shame. There's a good friend sitting near me now who told me about some truth she found: "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom should I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold." Psalm 46:7 The Greek word for stronghold is ochuroma, which means "a fortified, military stronghold, strong-walled fortress". The only place ochuroma is used in the New Testament is 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (Just read this whole chapter): "For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way, since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds." Not only do we find a fortress in the Lord, but through His power we can demolish the fortresses of sin in our lives. Just a couple of chapters later, Paul tells the Corinthians of a "thorn in the flesh" that "tormented" him. "Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. But He said to me ,"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Thank you Lord for using my weaknesses, It's hard to trust because I don't understand, but somehow God uses me in all my selfishness, disparity, and humanness. And I need Him so much. I can't even be punctual or keep up with a little blog let alone be righteous. But: "I greatly rejoice in the Lord, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garment of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness..." Isaiah 61:9 Praise God, He is righteous for me! I hope this truth sinks in a little faster than it has for me. I encourage you to live in that righteousness because you have inherited it like you inherited salvation, as coheirs with Christ.
1 Comment
MMI
12/15/2017 04:26:21 pm
Loved this reminder from Pauls writings and others. I believe God does His best work in us when ourselves are poured out in our weaknesses and He is truly our fortress,an unpenetrable fortress; you young lady are an awesome temple of strength. Don't ever think your not for you truly are an example of giving yourself over to let God do the work!!! love you
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