Christians
have it wrong, going through a big trial that is at the outer reaches of how
much you can take is not a sign that God thinks you are strong. No the enemy has
simply lied to us, instead it is a sign that God knows just how much we need Jesus
and He is waiting for us to give up control. If we fail it is only because we
did not fully surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ but not once does it
show how strong people are. How can we be sure of this... because the Bible
instructs us that God is a jealous God and will not accept glory meant for Him
to be given to someone or something else. You see if we could will ourselves
out of our own troubles then Jesus came to us and died for us without cause, we
marginalize the very work that has the power to save us! Inside you and I know
that’s not the case because we have seen the difference between living a hollow
life and one that is filled with Jesus. The Christian who depends on his own
strength points to one whose spirit is deprived of spiritual nutrients and has
become the very thing he’s trying not to be – weak because he limits God’s
power in his life! For our own good while Jesus waits on us He also prays for
us and if we are listening and obedient the Holy Spirit leads us back to the
Father. Thankfully God’s mercy and grace are bigger than our ability to make a
mess of things and His love is greater than we could possibly understand. That’s
right the duration of our own trials has more to do with our ability to listen and
learn than it does our strength or will power. So the next time you hear a motivational
speech about how strong you are weigh it carefully with how long to want to
continue in these difficulties or how
quickly you want them to return. The real question is are you willing to lay
down your own pride in order to make progress in this journey or will you
remain stuck and pretend to be strong?
