Stuffing

Giving up

I think God has had a good laugh at me this week. I've been pretty funny, I think, anyway.
I decided about a week ago that I was going to give something up for God. Not because He asked, but because I wanted to and I thought it was the right thing to do.
For a few days, I did real super, but then I started losing the battle again. I did ok but not great.
And then I read here this:

Why make the mistake, then, of trying to go it alone when you face the challenges and difficulties of life? Commit all things to God in prayer (Philippians 4:6 & 7)

So, yes, I tried to do it on my own. And, no, it did not work. So on my way home I prayed and gave it to God and I fully expect Him to do a better job than I did! I also tacked on a few extra things, since I was already asking, like how to love people who make left turns when the light turns green instead of waiting for the traffic going straight (like they are supposed to if there is no left turn signal). After Brandon's sermon, I try to bless them! But I need God's help to love them!

On Nov 20, one of the devotions I read with James was on 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But 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. 10That 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.

and the devotion book (Making time for God by Susan R. Garrett and Amy Plantinga Pauw) said this:

Paul was suffering from some kind of problem. He kept asking Jesus to make the problem go away. But, instead of fixing Paul's problem, Jesus said "My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak". Jesus knew that as long as Paul had that problem, Paul would keep on praying for Jesus' spirit to give him strength.

I see areas of my life where I am strong and areas where I am weak. I want God to be with me in all areas. I want to depend on Him in everything.

posted by Aphra @ 11/22/2007 09:43:00 PM