"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor. 12:9
Grace, Weakness, Power, Perfect... all very strong words. What is "Grace"? According to the dictionary it means a manifestation of favor especially by a superior. It also means mercy and favor. Grace is a verb and action word. Grace is given to us by an all loving God. He shows us favor and mercy and we are made perfect in weakness. Powerful, Powerful words in this verse.
I have found personally in dealing with health issues, PTSD, anxiety and life that when I am weak He is strong. In my weaknesses He has used them to make me strong. Just as the song "Jesus Loves Me" says, we are weak but He is strong. His grace is sufficient and nothing more is needed...His grace alone is all.
I have tried to be someone that I am not for most all of my life. Trying to live up to the expectations and lack of expectations of others, looking for constant approval and validation, looking for love in all the wrong places, trying to fit in and change to please others, when all along HIS grace has been sufficient for me. I will sing from the mountain tops of my weaknesses so that His power can rest on me.
I am going on a journey. A journey of seeking daily the gifts and grace that have been given to me by a loving God. This is my personal journey one that has been inspired by Ann Voskamp.
Thanks for sharing this.I often think that when I am in the "valleys" of life - God is providing me with much needed spiritual water so I can climb the mountains around me. And since it is in the vally that the water is found, I could not survive if I only lived on the mountain tops. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment and I should have expanded a little more on my thoughts when I was writing. Thank you for commenting and allowing me to see that I did not complete my thought!! I tend to think in my conversations and writing that everyone knows what is in my brain and understands my train of thought. Let me expand a little on the mountain top statement.
DeleteThe mountain top to me is not a place I want to live but a place to visit on the way to healing. It is a place to climb and strive to conquer and a place to realize my accomplishments along the way. The valley is a place I want to remain in a new healed way. The valley is what has and is making me whole. Mountains do not always stand, for an example in an avalanche they crumble and become part of the valley.
The top of a mountain to me allows for me to experience, reflect and realize God's unfailing grace. It is a quite place to be able to look back in appreciation and see where God has brought me from and to look forward to all God's land and His next steps for my life. To take a few minutes to breathe in the accomplishments. To shout down to all the nooks below that there is Hope... there is a Future...even when the nooks seem dark He is there to bring you out on top. To make you stronger for the next climb, the next level and the next mountain to conquer. :)
"For I know the plans I have for you," ddeclares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
This imagery is so powerful, Trey. That water is only found in the valleys and we need it for the mountaintops. I'm reading The Hunger Games right now so that imagery is so vivid!
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