Strength in Weakness

A couple of years ago a girl I knew faced a period of tremendous heartache with miscarriage, infertility, and the late pregnancy loss of her baby girl. As she commented on her period of grief she remarked that it was really hard for her when people told her that she must be a strong person to be able to handle such loss. For her, the feelings she felt in the aftermath of her losses were anything but strong. She felt weak, vulnerable, and overwhelmed by the pressure that as a strong person she should face this trial with her head held high, when she really just wanted to crumble up in a ball and cry in the corner.

Often when we speak with people walking through suffering we do the same thing. We see a person facing a trial that seems insurmountable and we think to ourselves, “I could never do what she is doing. She must be strong. God must know that she is strong enough for this.” I’ve thought it. I’ve said it. And then I’ve lived it and woken up to the reality that maybe all those other people are strong, but all I seem to have is overwhelming weakness when I face a trial.

If that’s you, then you are exactly where God wants you. And you are not alone. Paul has this to say about our weakness in suffering and trials:

“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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

He said this in the context of his “thorn in the flesh”, a trial that God chose not to remove from him. Instead of boasting in his ability, spiritual maturity, or even physical strength, he exalts Christ and boasts in him alone. Of all people who could say they were strong enough to handle something, Paul would have been it. He was an apostle. He was chosen by God to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. He wrote a majority of the New Testament. Yet, here in this passage he says that it is in his weakness that he is made strong, and he learns to trust in the sufficiency of Christ.

The same is true for us. Our ability to “handle” any particular hardship or trial is not contingent on our own strength or competency. Instead we are able to face suffering and pain that is beyond human comprehension because He is strong. Christ’s power is made known through our weakness. Christ’s glory and beauty are displayed when we trust in him over our circumstances. And it is in this seeming reversal of what the world deems as normal and right that we are made strong.

Our strength to endure a “thorn in the flesh”, whatever that may be, is found in the merit of Another—Jesus Christ. So when you feel weak and overwhelmed by the circumstances of your life you have hope for your trial. You can rest in the strength and power of our Lord, Jesus Christ who will give you grace for today, and every day after that. His power is made perfect in your weakness.

Something to Cling To

"In the darkest night of the soul, Christians have something to hang onto that Job never knew. We know Christ crucified. Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God's love, they cannot escape the cross. 'He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he now also, along with him, graciously give us all things?'" (Romans 8:32)

-How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil, D.A. Carson

Creation Glorifies God

Rarely do I stop and marvel at God’s creation. When I drive around I’m usually focused on where I’m going or what I want to do next. When I run all I can think about is how much longer I have to run. I go from my car to the apartment without ever taking in the beauty of the world around me. I’ve never been one to be super aware of nature, and growing up in a big city only heightened my ignorance to it all. Skyscrapers and concrete have a way of sidelining the beauty of green trees and flowers.

For the first time that I can remember, last week I appreciated the beauty of what God made in creation—and it made me want to worship him more. I spent last week in Colorado chaperoning a high school ski trip and every morning, while walking to breakfast, I watched the sun rise over the Rocky Mountains. I have seen mountains before, and even the Rockies. But this time it was different.

As I saw the red, orange, and purple hues rise over the snowy peaks all I could think about was the fact that even the rocks and mountains cry out that he is God. If we fail to worship him and honor him with the glory due his name, just look at the mountains, the flowers blooming in spring, and the beauty of the sunrise. They are all screaming that God is glorious and mighty and deserving of all of our worship (Luke 19:40).

This is why Romans 1 is so condemning and so devastating. The worst form of blasphemy and dishonor towards God is to worship what he has created rather than the Creator. And we do it all of the time. The sunrise is not glorious because it is a sunrise. The sunrise is glorious because it points to the One who made it—God. What kept coming back my mind over and over again as I took in the beauty of the mountains this week was that it all pales in comparison to the glory we will one day see in heaven.

Creation daily lifts its voice to worship the God who created it. As a human being, created in the image of my Creator, I want to honor him by worshipping him in greater measure than even the rocks and the mountains.

The Complete Gospel

I’m pretty sure there are two types of people: those who see themselves as too bad or too sinful for salvation, and those who see themselves as capable and not bad enough. When I heard people talk about “works righteousness” or trying to save themselves by their good behavior I would often think to myself “that’s not me.” And it wasn’t. You see, I have long struggled with a form of morbid introspection that only intensifies the more sinful I feel. This introspection leads to overwhelming guilt which then often leads to despair. In these moments I can’t see the gospel as good news for me. I don’t believe God’s promises are true in my life. And I don’t trust that the blood of Jesus actually covers sin like mine. I’m too bad. I’m too broken. I’m just too sinful.

Wrong.

It’s really easy, if you are like me, to see the pride of the Pharisees or the self-sufficiency of the less “guilty” people and judge them. You might think that they don’t see their sin like you see your sin. You might wish you could be more like them. Either way, both mindsets are wrong. One spectrum contains people who hide behind their good works and trust in their own righteousness. But the other spectrum hides behind the veil of guilt and shame. Both need the same thing—more trust in the blood of Jesus. For me, my failure to trust in Jesus is actually saying that his death is not sufficient for my sin. Sure, he is powerful enough to save even the vilest of sinners, but not me. I’m just too bad.

The Evil One wants nothing more than for us to believe these lies. He wins when I fail to repent of my sin and trust in the shed blood of Jesus to cleanse me of my sin. He wins when I think I’m too bad for salvation. He wins when I don’t trust that the gospel of Jesus Christ is truly good news for people like me. And I need a daily reminder that Jesus came to save sinners just like me.

Something that really helped me recently is listening to a sermon by C.J. Mahaney called “Only One Gospel.” In this message he basically lays out what the gospel is and what it does for us. He provides three points that describe the gospel. They are:

1. The gospel is God-centered
2. The gospel is objective
3. The gospel is complete

The last one really hit home for me. Even though I don’t try to earn my salvation by doing good things, I do fail to believe the completeness of the gospel when I refuse to repent of my sin and trust Christ for forgiveness. The gospel is objective because it does not depend on me or my capabilities (praise God!). And the gospel is God-centered because it took the Son of God coming to earth to die for my sins that I may be saved.

Does that encourage you? It did for me. When I feel the temptation to trust in my own work (or lack of work) as the basis for my cleanness before God I want to remember that everything necessary for my salvation has been completed and finished by the perfect, holy, gracious Son of God. He is my only hope and plea for righteousness.

“When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see him there,
Who made an end to all my sin!
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me!”

Nothing is Impossible with God

I'm chaperoning the junior class ski trip for the school I teach for next week, and so the last few days have been filled with lesson prep for a substitute, organizing, catching up, and all around craziness. Next week, I am having my classes watch a sermon by John Piper on the subject of abortion. As I was reading the sermon this afternoon this section stood out to me. If you are wrestling through infertility (or any suffering), I hope it encourages you like it did me.


"In verses 36–37 [of Luke 1], the angel says to Mary, to encourage her that her impossible pregnancy really can come true, 'And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.' So be encouraged, Mary, nothing is too hard for God. Witness the pregnancy of Elizabeth. O how often in these circumstances of pregnancy and infertility we need to be reminded, 'Nothing will be impossible with God.' He gives, he takes, he provides in abundance, he sustains in loss."

Something To Look Forward To

I'm a planner. I like having stuff to look forward to. I enjoy looking at a busy calendar and seeing that there is light at the end of the tunnel. As I read these verses yesterday morning, I was struck again with the fact that this is the best thing I have to look forward to.

"And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him" (Isaiah 25:7-9).

Whatever you are experiencing this morning, whether it is a deep trial or a besetting sin, this is our hope. God will wipe away our tears on that last day. How do we know this? He has spoken. He has said that he will do it and we can trust him.

And what does he ask of us until that day? To wait on him. It doesn't always come in the time frame we are hoping for, but we have this assurance--God will do it. And when he does it will be worth the wait.

Friday is for Fotos

Kool-Aid is in the refrigerator (his favorite).

The apartment is sparkly clean.

Hamburgers are on the menu for tonight.

And after nine days and eight nights away, this man is coming home to me today.

Can't wait to see you, baby! I've missed you like crazy!