Daily Devotional: Wednesday, March 17
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Not to Us by Chris Tomlin; No Not Oneby Christy Nockels; Love Came Downby Ben Cantelon; Til I See Youby Hillsong.
Read: Romans 8:26-30
Think: Have you ever noticed how we try really hard to improve our weaknesses? I wonder if all that trying really helps? I'm not very good at administrative, detailed stuff. I worked at a print shop one summer, and messed up so many projects that I was relegated to gluing scrap paper into notepads all day. I tried being a bank teller at one time, and balanced twice the entire three months I worked there. I suppose I could have tried harder, and I may have improved a little, but the likelihood of me turning my weakness into a strength was slim.
The same applies to our frail humanity. Since we are human, we have some inherent weaknesses: like coveting, complaining, criticizing, controlling, lying, lusting, gossiping and nursing grudges. You know what I mean- we have a weakness toward sin. We can try really hard not to sin, but unless we invite God's power into our weakness towards sin, we won't see any real improvement.
Once when the Apostle Paul was lamenting about his own weaknesses, he described God saying this to him; "My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) Isn't that cool? So what we see as a limitation or a weakness, God sees as an opportunity for a display of His power and grace. What we see as a problem, God sees as just another way He gets to step in show His strength.
What if we were able to stop lamenting about our limitations, and turn them over to God? I wonder if we stopped trying to fix ourselves, and just surrendered ourselves to God, how much more power over sin we would really experience? What if our weakness was the key to our greatest victory?
Do: Explore what might be keeping you from surrendering completely to God, and ask a friend for their insight if you get stuck.
Pray: Jesus, I surrender my burdens, my weaknesses and my limitations to you for your glory. I will stop trying to hide or fix them, and just give them to you. I trust you to show up with your strength. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
