When I am Weak, He is Strong

Have you ever had those days when you are just tired? Tired of fighting the flesh? Tired of trying to be who you are suppose to be? Tired of fighting the lies of the enemy? Tired of fighting wrong emotions and feelings?

It’s where I have been for a couple days now. My emotions have been all over the place. Sometimes it feels like my feelings, thoughts and life are a tangled mess.

I try as hard as I can but just can’t seem to untangle the mess of emotions. It’s exhausting trying to sort out what I am suppose to feel, what is normal, and what is not.

I am suppose to be a big girl and have all this figured out. Right? Or is that another lie? Am I suppose to ask for help? But who do I ask? Who would understand? Who would really be available to sit and listen? And NOT think I was totally losing it! Who could I talk to that would know it’s just a moment. Who would give me grace and allow me a few minutes to talk out loud and then I’ll be fine? Because most of the time I just need to talk out loud.

Currently, the lies in my head say I have no one. No one that is but Jesus. (I do KNOW deep in my heart that this is another lie. Our emotions often DO lie to us!) But still I wonder, shouldn’t Jesus be enough? I mean, He IS enough. He IS all I need. He’s the only one I am suppose to really need. Right?

If that is true then why does this place feel like a place of such loneliness? Is this yet another lie? Another attempt of the enemy to try and wedge discontent between me and my God? To create a distance between me and those God has placed in my life to journey with?

It all makes me tired and it’s exhausting….and I just want to go home. To my Father. I am tired of my enemy's constant knocking on the door of my mind. Seriously, I believe my mind is the enemy's most powerful weapon against me.

Then it hits me…

The selfishness of the flesh that cries out to be noticed, to be fed. Yes I am weary of the constant onslaught of what seems like the constant battles of my mind. Wrong thinking. Emotions that want to be given into. Emotions that cry out to be felt. But they are lies that FEEL like truth.

I am weary because for this moment I have forgotten. I have forgotten truth. The truth that I know, believe and trust in.

The truth is I do not fight alone.

I have forgotten to be diligent about putting on the armor of God so that I can fight against the powers of this dark world. The evil forces of this world do not let up, they desire to destroy me. 

 I have forgotten that I need to stand firm with the belt of truth buckled tightly around my waist. Never should I be without it. 

I have forgotten that I am to take my shield of faith up daily against the flaming arrows of the evil one. 

I have forgotten that I do not fight alone but with the Lord and in His mighty power. 

I have forgotten that when I am weak HE IS strong. I can run to Him and find rest, even in the midst of my struggles.

Paul reminds the Ephesians in chapter 6 that they are in a battle. They are to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. He tells them that in order to take a stand against the devils schemes they need the armor of God. They need to stand firm, be alert, and always praying.

I need the armor of God. I need to pray. I need to stand strong in His mighty power.

And then in Paul’s final sentences he tells the Ephesians that he is going to send Tychicus so that they might be encouraged. Don’t you love it?

Paul reminds them that yes, they ARE to stand firm, they ARE to wear the armor of God, they ARE to be alert and pray BUT he knows they also need the encouragement of others.

We need our brothers and sisters who can come along and encourage us when we become battle weary. To strengthen us and pray with and for us.

But he 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 Cor 12:9-10

Oh precious Father, thank you for these words of reminder. Thank you for helping me through this moment. Father forgive me for my forgetfulness and selfishness. Help me to lean on You and allow You to bring other’s into my life to encourage me. Help me to remember I don’t always have to be strong, have it all together or be perfect. For in my weaknesses You can show Your strength, Your power and Your grace.

Life, Lemons and Truth

If life gives you lemons they tell you to make lemonade. But what if you don't know how? To some it may seem silly. Not know how to make lemonade? Just look up a recipe and make it. It’s so easy, you just add sugar and water to the lemon juice!

What if you come from a place where they have never heard of sugar? Or you can’t read? What if you have nothing to make it in?

I could go on, but I think you get my point. At least I hope you do. But just in case you don’t let me explain. If someone has a bad life, regardless of the reason, and you tell them to just make lemonade what good is it? Yes I understand what is meant behind the saying. Lemonade is good, it’s refreshing on a hot summer day, it’s sweet, not sour like just a lemon would be. I get it.

But my questions remain. Of what benefit does it have to the person who doesn’t know how to make lemonade?

It’s like telling someone who is struggling with wrong thinking to “take captive their thoughts” or “just think on whatever is lovely, good, true, etc...”. What you have said is true, but how does it benefit the person if they don’t know how to take thoughts captive? What if they don’t know what is lovely, good or true?

It’s easy to speak words of truth, but unless we are willing to take the time to get real and possibly messy with that person then what benefit is it?

Please understand, to say these things to someone who KNOWS truth is one thing, but to say it to someone who is really struggling with their thinking, lies, the past etc... is a whole different thing. They may not comprehend what you are talking about. You may only leave them feeling frustrated.

We need to understand that there are believers who may not have been taught truth. They may not know the true character of God, but have a twisted view of him. So to tell them to think upon truth, they may still be trying to think on twisted truth.

It’s possible that they grew up with their minds being filled with lies about themselves and about who God really is. Then as a believer the enemy takes those and sets out to destroy a true knowledge of God and who we really are in Christ.

You can’t make lemonade out of lemons unless you have a recipe to follow and you understand what the ingredients are. And you can’t renew your mind or take captive your thoughts unless you first understand who God truly is, and who you are in Christ.

You see for me to tell someone to “renew their mind” without being willing to walk along with them is really of no benefit. To truly benefit the person I need to help them see who God is. Help them understand His character. Then I need to help them understand what lies they are believing about God. I also need to help them see who they are IN Christ. I need to help them see and believe that they are God’s beloved, holy, set apart and loved with an everlasting love. I need to help them recognize wrong thinking, thinking based on lies from the enemy and from our past. I need to then help them understand the truth that replaces the lies.

So the next time you say to someone that they need to “take captive their thoughts” ask yourself if you are willing to then take the time to help them understand how to do it.

 

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he. (2 Cor 10:5-7)

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:7-9)

 

You might want to read Lemonade and a Renewed mind which I wrote as a follow up to this post

It Should Have Been Me…

He had no sin and yet took on my sin.

He took on my punishment - my death.

 

It should have been me on that cross.

 

It wouldn’t have been enough.

 My heart was wicked, my flesh sinful.

His heart was beautiful, pure, and spotless.

 

He was without sin.

 He was God incarnate.

Only He could save me.

 

His sinless, pure heart was needed.

Only He could take my wicked heart and give me a new heart, a clean heart, one that is pure, righteous and holy.

 

Now written on my heart is His ways, His words, His love!

He put His Spirit inside me! His very SPIRIT LIVING in side ME!

Because of HIM

 

My heart is new, longer a slave to sin.

 

I gladly live as a slave, a bond servant to righteousness, His righteousness.

He who knew no sin became sin for me so that I can live in righteousness

 

He now sees me as righteous and without sin.

 

 Hallelujah!

 

(Jeremiah 17:9; 30:40; 31:33-34; Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 6:18; 2 Corinthians 3:3; 5:21)

A Sorrow That Brings Repentance

I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance… (2 Cor 7:9a)

“Your not really sorry, just sorry you got caught.” I Was 19 and these word rang loud in my ears. At the time I didn’t know for certain if what was said to me was true or not.

She was an older woman, who loved me and wanted what was best for me, at least that’s what I thought. On that particular day she sat me down and shared her concern that I didn’t show any real remorse for my sin. She wondered if I truly understood the gravity of my sinfulness before God and the consequences I would face because of my sin. I told her I understood. I understood that what I had done went against God’s word, against what was holy. I understood my sinfulness. She looked me in the eyes and said “Sharon I do not see a sorrow that brings repentance.”

In the years since then I have often thought of that conversation and wondered exactly what she was looking for that would have convinced her of my sorrow. Should I have cried? Wailed? Should there have been tearing of clothes, wearing sackcloth and ashes? I really am not sure, but maybe a few tears would have been nice.

The trouble is, tears just don’t come easily for me. And I have even tried to cry when I think maybe I should, but I can’t. Oh trust me I can cry, but I can not make myself, nor do my tears seem to come when I think they should.

So then, how does a person know for certain if they are sorrowful over their sin? If they’ve truly repented? We only need to look as far as God’s word for the answer. It’s all about the heart. A changed life shows if a person has truly repented. Anyone can “look” sorrowful, many can manufacture tears, but it doesn’t mean they are sorry for what they have done.

2 Corinthians 7:10-11 gives us great insight into the difference between worldly sorrow and a sorrow that leads to repentance. There is a sorrow, a godly sorrow, which will produce repentance and deliver you from the power of the sin. Then there is also a sorrow, a worldly sorrow, that produces death.

The evidence of godly sorrow will be seen in the persons life if they are truly repentant.

Godly sorrow will produce vindication. Vindication means that you will not cover up what you have done but you are naming it for what it is, sin.

It will produces indignation which means to grieve, or an anger born out of grief over sins triumph. You will be angry that sin got the best of you, that you gave into sin.

It will produce fear. It’s the fear of God that causes us to depart from sin. A healthy fear of God keeps us from sinning against a holy God.

Godly sorrow will also produce in us a longing, a zeal and an avenging of wrong. We will have a longing to be right with God. We will also have a desire to make things right with all others who might be involved. We will have an earnestness to do all we can do to correct or fix what has been done. To make it right. We will have a commitment to totally avenge the wrong that was done.

Outward signs of sorrow can come easily for anyone, but the heart that is truly repentant, that has godly sorrow will show itself in a changed life. A heart that is truly repentant will show a consistent change in the days, weeks, months afterwards, you will SEE evidence of their sorrow that brings repentance.

As for that 19 year old, it was a sorrow that brought repentance. Since that moment in my life my heart has sought to follow Him.