 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. (II Corinthians 12:10)
God wasn’t looking for a perfect vessel when he chose Abraham to be the father of all nations. He was aware of Moses’ imperfections when he chose him to lead his people out of bondage. Despite David’s weaknesses, God considered him a man after his own heart. These examples are proof that our weaknesses are not a hindrance but the very things that compel us to lean on, and trust in God, who is the source of our strength and success. Spurgeon stated, “My Brothers and Sisters, glory in your infirmities—thank God for your weaknesses! There is room for God when you are empty! But when you are so full, and so strong, and feel you are capable, you will attempt life without God and the result will be failure.“ Let’s not be ashamed of our weak moments, the times when we struggle, mess up or feel empty. Let us be like David and cry out to God in our distress because then, and only then is our “strength made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). GiGi❤️
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 “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)
In the past when someone criticized me I would immediately become defensive. Why was I being held responsible for someone else’s feelings or experience? I resented that because, growing up no one ever took responsibility for my feelings. I had to manage that space on my own. My childhood trauma was showing up in those encounters. When we feel we are being attacked are criticized we are flooded with emotions and can feel overwhelmed which can result in defensive language. This emotional response is evoked because the “information we received differs from how we think of ourselves or want others to see us, so we get defensive and overjustify, make excuses, minimize, blame, discredit, discount, refute, and reinterpret.” “Acceptance gives us the power to move forward in relationships. Hurting and disappointing other people feels terrible. But it happens, and instead of getting on the defensive, we take responsibility for the pain we’ve caused, listen intently to understand the other person's suffering, offer a genuine apology, and revitalize a commitment to acting with compassion.” When we make it about us it never turns out well. The Lord is looking for his children to keep our eyes on Him so that we respond with compassion and humility. Acceptance is taking Responsibility. GiGi❤️  “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
When I entered the 7th grade I joined the track team. By the time I went on Christmas break I was one of the best runners on the team. My track coach put me in the fastest races due to my time. When we returned to school the following year, a new girl had transferred to our school. She was tall, slim, and fast. I had a difficult time adjusting to the fact that I was no longer the fastest on the team. My track coach raced us against each other to determine who would run each race. I didn't want to lose my spot so I pulled Renee K to the side and asked her, “Why don’t you let me win this race?” She was younger, a 6th grader and intimidated by an eight grader. She said, “OK,” but I could tell she was embarrassed for me. I was so ashamed after I asked. It was one of the lowest points of my childhood. I felt sick to my stomach. I eventually went to my coach and told her what I had done. As I reflect back, I realize that much of my childhood was entrenched with my trying to be perfect and the best at whatever I did. So many other children, who eventually become adults continue to be under pressure to win, pressure to be perfect, especially when there is someone in our ear telling us we are not good enough or that we have to be. There is pressure to look a certain way especially when we have had someone in our lives who pointed out all the things that are wrong about us. Yet, the Lord does not look at any of that. He is just asking us to stay in the race. He is asking us to exercise faith every step of the way. To all of us who are still struggling with childhood pressures that have turned into adult pressures, let us let go of trying to be perfect and let go of pleasing man. We have been running the wrong race. We had our eyes on the wrong prize. Let us “Go our way, eat our bread with joy, and drink our wine with a merry heart; for God now accepts our works.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7) Stop it! This scripture is not telling us to go out and party. We are simply to stop striving and live life to the fullest in peace, trusting that we serve a God that always has our back. That’s perfection! GiGi❤️  “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22)
It has gotten to be too much. The load has become too much to bear and someone has surmised, “I don’t think I can make it another hour, let alone another day.” When we insist on being the source of our own help and deliverance we soon learn that we are unable to do so. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 68:6) “The very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting of ourselves into His place, to do for Him that which we dream He either cannot or will not do!” Dear Lord, we are casting it all on You. Please take it!” GiGi❤️  “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3)
“The Devil and Daniel Webster" is a short story written in 1936, by Stephen Vincent Benét. He tells of a New Hampshire farmer, Jabez Stone who sells his soul to the devil. Farmer Stone is from the small town of Cross Corners, New Hampshire, and is plagued with unending bad luck. He finally says, ‘it's enough to make a man want to sell his soul to the devil!’ The next day he is visited by a stranger, identified as ‘Mr. Scratch’, who offers to give him seven years of prosperity for his soul. Stone agrees.” For seven years he flourished and helped his friends and neighbors, but finally the devil came to collect. Yet, even before the time came for Mr Scratch to collect, Stone had already become weary of everything going well, all of the time. He longed for the dark clouds that brought in a terrible storm to ruin his crops. He understood that it was tests and trials that produced endurance. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “I never found a child who hated its fault so much as when it was going to be punished for it. If you had no cause to dread the pit—if you knew that you might give up your life to sin, and that you might do so without punishment, would you still feel that you hated sin, and that you could not, would not, commit it again, except through the infirmity of the flesh? Would you still desire holiness? Would you still desire to live like Christ?" Repentance is a gift that keeps on giving. It keeps on compelling us to the cross. It keeps us on our knees, not just for ourselves, but for others. Dear Lord, help us to not despise our trials and afflictions, for we know that they “keep us from exalting ourselves. Bless us Lord to ”Consider it all joy, when we encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance.” GiGi❤️  ...and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. - Matthew 2: 11
We continue to glean wisdom from these Wise Men concerning all we need for Christmas. We have seen them seek to find Jesus in the madness. We have paid attention to their spending time with Jesus. We have watched them worship Jesus. Now, we can't help but comment on the fact that they gave gifts to Jesus. More specifically: 1. They brought their gifts to Jesus. These gifts were unsolicited and unrequested. Nevertheless, they were brought. They were not mailed. They were not sent by a messenger. They were not dropped off by a third party. They were personally delivered. In other words, their physical presence came along with their presents. 2. Each of them had their own gift. They were not like people in church who need to borrow a dollar so they can put something in the plate when they walk around for offering. Each of them had their own, prepared and unique gift to give to Christ. They did not depend upon someone else to give Christ a gift for them. After all, they were willing to accept His gift of salvation personally, so why not offer Him a gift of thanks personally? 3. They gave Him a valuable gift. These Wise Men were not necessarily rich men. However, they were not cheap men. They did not stop at the dollar store and pick up a Christmas mug. They brought Him their best and the best. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. It could be argued that these presents were not very practical. What was a baby going to do with them? Maybe, a box of Pampers would have made more sense. Still, while they may not have been practical, they were certainly appropriate because they were gifts fit for a king. Indeed, the King of Kings. Pastor Ben  “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
When I awoke this morning I knew my purpose. I haven’t always understood what that is, especially when faced with life challenges and conflict. I have asked, “Why am I here?” The answer is that my God has breathed the breath of life into me, one more day. You see, I’m learning to look to Him in the small things, the mundane, the simplicity of life. I will have to show up today and be intentional so that I don't take my God or people for granted, especially those I love. I will have to slow down and be present. I will have to allow myself to be vulnerable again and again, even after I’ve been hurt and disappointed, and forgive so that I can let someone hug me again. What is my purpose? “Whatever my hand finds to do, do it with all my might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where I’m destined to go one day.” Dear Lord, help us to live life to the fullest, love you with all our heart, and treat others as we want to be treated because that is the simplicity of life. Help us to begin each day with purpose. GiGi❤️  “But God said to Jonah, ‘Do you do well to be angry?’ (Jonah 4:9)
Jonah was in such a state that he even took God to task. It must be that God knew his son, Jonah. “Is it that Jonah feared God but found himself struggling in a moment that the Lord required his obedience? Yet, the Lodd was patient with him, so very patient. He is also patient with us. He knows us, every hair on our head. When we struggle, he does not judge us but poses that same question, “ Do you do well to be angry?” Then he stays right by our side until we sort it through, until we get it right. “Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this inquiry, "Doest thou well to be angry?" Charles Spurgeon “Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24) GiGi❤️  “What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” (Luke 12:3)
Authenticity is how we show up for ourselves around everyone and everywhere we go. Moving forward, we will respond to what God expects of us, not people. Brene Brown wrote, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are. Authenticity demands Wholehearted living and loving—even when it’s hard, even when we’re wrestling with the shame and fear of not being good enough, and especially when the joy is so intense that we’re afraid to let ourselves feel it.” Spurgeon addresses authenticity when we are alone, “Never try to be what you are not..Never do what you are ashamed of; it doesn’t matter if no one sees. Think always that God sees, and with God for a witness you have enough observers. Only do in secret what you would have done if all eyes were fixed on you, and you were observed even by your most cruel critics…What God's Holy Spirit tells you, do.” Finally, trust God to just be yourself. Now exhale! GiGi❤️  "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes." (Daniel 9:3).
Daniel provided an example of prayer full of emotion. Although, it was not an emotional prayer but an authentic one, “for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.” (v. 18) Authentic prayer will require us to lay aside every weight that besets us (Hebrews 12:1), and go boldly before the throne of grace (Hebrews 14:6), so that we do not pray amiss (James 4:3). In doing so, it allows us to more expediently execute prayers of faith as did Daniel, “seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes,” until we hear from God. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “God often DELAYS IN ANSWERING PRAYER. Jacob did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day-he had to wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syrophenicia was not answered for a long while. Paul besought the Lord thrice that ‘the thorn in the flesh’ might be taken from him, and he received no assurance that it should be taken away, but instead a promise that God's grace should be sufficient for him…Our Father has reasons for keeping us waiting. Sometimes it is to show his power and his sovereignty, that men may know that Jehovah has a right to give or to withhold.” May we pray as Daniel until the Lord answers, “I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.” (v. 22) GiGi❤️ |
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