Sunday, March 01, 2009

Devotional - Strength, Courage & Wisdom

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.


It’s okay that you’re not perfect. It’s okay that some days you have are bad. And it’s okay that you’re not going to get everything right, all the time.

Some days you’re going to hit it out of the park. Some days you’re going to get nothing but fouls. And some days you’ll just barely manage to get to first base.
God’s Strength is made to be shown through your weakness. It’s meant to show you that you need Him. You hit a wall, you make a mistake, you show your weakness and, bam!, you find yourself getting down on yourself, thinking negative thoughts and contemplating how stupid you are. And you finally release your thoughts to God and you begin to pray and His Spirit surrounds you and that’s when you realize: This is why I’m weak. This is why I need His strength. Know why? Because if you didn’t have weak moments, you probably wouldn’t call on Him as much as you do. So you need your weakness to demonstrate to you just how much you need Him. To remain close to Him. To draw on His strength, which was tailor-made for what you’re going through. And, number two, you need these weak moments to realize you are not capable of doing this alone. If you could accomplish all that you needed without Him, there would be no need to have God. There is a God, however, you do need Him and you NEED Him to do what you have to do.

God’s Strength is made to be shown through your weakness. It’s meant to show others where you strength REALLY lies. Your weakness – and His rescue – make others realize that they quite possibly need Him, too. If all people saw were all your triumphs – and not the growing experiences that got you there – they would mistakenly think that YOU have all the answers and you know that is patently untrue. You know that you only are what you are because God has given you strength. And your weakness to others demonstrates the same to them.

So REJOICE in your weakness. Know that you’re not perfect, you’re never going to be perfect and it’s perfectly okay – no, WONDERFUL – that you’re not perfect because it all demonstrates the MAJESTY and GLORY of God. It reminds you of how much you need God, how futile it is to think you can do anything without Him and even helps others to realize just how much they need God, too. You WILL BE WEAK. So let God handle it. And all will be well…

11 comments:

mathētēs said...

It seems that God is particularly displeased when we attempt to demonstrate our strength. When we try to demonstrate that we are perfect, and try to - in effect - make ourselves into gods. You're right! We need to rejoice in our weaknesses.

I'm thinking specifically about the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.

~mathetes
mathetes21-6.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed reading this blog!! I totally believe this that we are not perfect and some days are better than others! God does work through us just the way we are. It is a matter of letting Him do this. Blessings!

Michael Lantz said...

I agree with the first poster,when we try to use our own strengh instead of God Strengh it is like saying that we don't need God that we can do it on our own.When I first came to Christ I used to say that I am not going to rent any pornographic today about five minutes I would be up there renting them.I had to let God change me.I was trying to change myself.

Christina said...

Sonya,

Thank you so much for writing this! Would you mind if I used some of your thoughts and words for a devotional I will be leading to a group of Christian Mom's?

God Bless!

Christina

Unknown said...

Amen....only God is our true source of strength. without Him we can do nothing.

mencari kebenaran said...

1 would like to ask you baby..where is the story of jesus when he was at thirteen tiil twentynine years old
in bible??

and the second is when the first time jesus was potreted?
and who was his photograper?
what kind of brand of camera was used?

the third is.. is jesus the GOD OR human being?

did jesus ever give instruction to pray on sunday?

is there in bible if jesus one hundred present human and one hundred present GOD?

is there in bible said if you believe jesus as the GOD you will be entered to the heaven

1 need your answer as fast as possible..ok

Club 3:16 said...

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mvkt05 said...

Yes, Jesus is true Man and true God. He is 100% Man and 100% God.

Pastor Vang, M
9:26AM

SipherMinx said...

@mencari kebenaran In answer to your first Question his life up until age thirteen was spent in study and as a jew not that important at age 13 he became a man and his life thus written about. It was not until he was at a weeding that he says to his mother my time has not come yet. Meaning His ministry was not important John 2:4 his life as a youth is only mentioned a few times as he has not began his calling yet.
2nd no one really has any Idea what Christ looked like they just guess artists paint what they think he looked like the White church made him white to suit them the African church says he was black. I've seen Asian Churches show him as Asian. What he looked like does not matter its what he said. Love one another, Love your selves and Love God...Really nothing else matters..

3rd Hes Both its called Hypostatic Union Col. 2:9 and John 1:1 but his body is all human as he became flesh and dwelt among us the jist is He suffered and died a man

4. No he did not give instructions to pray on sunday he said pray all the time and every where but here is a good list of what he did say about prayer
Pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5:43-45; Luke 6:28)
Don’t be like hypocrites, who show off or babble when they pray (Matt 6:5-8; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47)
Forgive others, so that God may also forgive you (Matt 6:14-15; Mark 11:25)
Trust that God will give you good things when you ask (Matt 7:7-11; Luke 11:9-13; cf. John 14–16)
Some demons can only be driven out through prayer (Mark 9:29)
Pray always and don’t lose heart (Luke 18:1, with the parable of the Unjust Judge)
Jesus calls the Jerusalem temple “a house of prayer” (Matt 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46; quoting Isaiah 56:7)
Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive (Matt 21:22; Mark 11:24)
Pray that you might not come into the time of trial (Matt 26:41; Luke 22:40, 46)
If you ask anything in Jesus’ name, he will do it (John 14:13-14; 15:7; 16:24)

SipherMinx said...

Part 2 to @mencari kebenaran

The point here is you have confused church doctrinal understanding with what the scriptures say.not every one gets it all right and many churches have books on there own doctrines bigger than the bible they read. Sunday is a day of rest a time to reflect and the church is the body "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body," (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

5. already answered this question in your question #3 I will say one last thing on this and that's he was human in flesh but his heart and soul where divine... a 100 of this and 100 of that whats your point. Not trying to jab at you it just kinda sounds like sarcasm to real questions that one might be struggling with..

In answer to your last question a very good question and one that has so many diffrent answers and agian so many secs that its a hard question for any one to answer no matter how hard they have studied. No matter how hard they have prayed or what good works they have done. Its a heart issue and I end it with this. I hope for those who did not know the teachings of Christ they are shown after death and given a choice. but for those who new about it had a chance to Love them selves Love the brother and sister and to have faith in that love that there is something better for them. Heaven Nirvana what ever you want to call it. I do know that some of the most respected and loved men and women to grace this earth respected Christ In fact Gandhi used his teachings and proudly stated that fact over and over again fro the sermon on the mount. and he was far from being a christian. The Islamic s respect him as a good man a profit in fact and Devin. Churches have screwed up the simple teachings of a book that shows how to love and have hope. Faith. Trust... Dont put down a book based on what some fire and brim stone, Judgmental, out of context Pastor or finger pointer has made you hate by there mis guided under standing of 3 beautiful things. that all 3 end with Love...
Love God
Love yourself and Love others...
Hope you find what you are looking for in life friend and seek truth for real.

SipherMinx said...

Thank you for the blog I needed a good study tonight...and to answer the kids questions I had to look deep and find some answers from scriptures I hope I answered them ok and did not offend as we tend to shoot the wounded sometimes...They will know we are Christians by Are love...I say that daily. We are called as followers of Christ to be salt and light it makes my heart hurt when we persecute judge and rip apart the scriptures to suit are needs...The bible is not Burger King have it your way. Its a road map to love and healing and hope for the lost and hurting...Not for Judgment and wrath by man/woman....Its not our Job why else Did Christ die he died for all of us. A man in flesh suffered on the cross biblical history and Roman history! it happened! I would like to see some one else Teach the love he taught and hope he brought be nailed to a cross for every one elses crimes and guilty of nothing...Do what he did and die the way that he died. I don't know if I could do that and I'm a believer. I was a medic in the Army saw allot of death in many forms...So before one puts the man down think about what he went through and the good he did.