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.
This is an invitation to the Holy
Spirit to dwell within us daily, and boy, oh boy, do I need that.
I’ve been stressed out by life
lately. Schedule, loss, need, and trauma – the struggle continues. How do I
cope? Grace.
The relationship of our weakness to
God’s strength is an uncomfortable one for us most of the time. I appreciate
the power of the Holy Spirit acting in my life on a daily, hourly,
moment-to-moment basis. But it isn’t easy to live this way. And it’s not supposed
to be. That is the life of a Christian.
Understand what is happening: none
of us, not one, is in control of anything. It’s about God in everything in
every second of everyday. This is his story, his plan, his project, and we are
all the recipients of his love. It’s beautiful.
And while I appreciate Paul’s
desire to “boast” about his weakness, I find it hard to celebrate in those
moments of desperation when, once again, fear, doubt, and yes, even trembling
overtake me. Where is God in those moments?
It usually doesn’t take long for me
to see him. I’m blessed that way. I know that eventually, sooner and sooner as
I grow in my faith, the dust will settle, the murky water will clear, and I
will again see the glorious work of my Father’s hands.
So, while I can’t always celebrate,
I will rest with confidence in the warmth of God’s love and the almighty power
of Christ. Fill me again today oh Lord.