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For when I am weak, then I am strong…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:9a But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … 

I cannot think about these verses in 2 Corinthians without thinking about Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Humans think of weakness as a bad thing. God knows His strength can be perfected in us only through our weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9b …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Humans think that boasting is about self: look how great I am. God wants us to boast about His goodness, His presence, His sovereignty in our lives. Humans define individual strength as the ability to do it all without assistance. God says that we can only be truly strong when we rest in Him.

2 Corinthians 12:10a That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties…. 

Precious Savior, Your thoughts are truly nothing like our thoughts, and to rest securely in You, we have to turn our focus from what the world says about strength and weakness, about boasting and resting. Help me to draw closer to You always. Strengthen me in my weaknesses. Help me to shine Your light for all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:10b …For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Have a blessed day.

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His steadfast presence and love…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:7b …Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 

Two lines from yesterday’s reflection bother me. One is in verse 7, “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” The other was my own, “I’m pretty sure that’s why God places thorns in my life.” I don’t like the idea that God causes my pain, that He inflicts me with trials.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

I am a sinner saved by Grace. Jesus paid the price for my sins. He is with me always. Even when I can’t stand under the weight, He is the reason I can still breathe, because He is with me even in the chaos. I think what’s important is not the trials or where they come from but my Savior and His steadfast presence and love always.

2 Corinthians 12:9a But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” …

Lord, Thank You for the ability to struggle with Your word, to reconcile my struggles with Your fierce, unending love. Thank You that  I don’t have to have all the answers nor understand perfectly in order to use Your word as a light for my path. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me and that Your power is perfected in my weakness. Thank You. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:9b …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Have a blessed day.

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Thorns in my life…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:7b …Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  

I do not like to suffer. I’m not a fan of being inconvenienced. I’m pretty sure my strong Type A personality–a plan and back up plan for every possibility–developed from my desire to not be put out if at all possible. I’m pretty sure that’s why God places thorns in my life.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 

I am wildly independent. I like to be self-sufficient. It’s ok if you need me, but I should not need you. (It feels shocking to say, but think about it. We all love to help others, but we don’t want to be the ones being helped.) God created me and knew that if I had no thorns, I’d come to rely solely on myself instead of centering myself on Him each day.

2 Corinthians 12:9a But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the way that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank You for understanding my fiercely independent streak. Thank You for hardwiring me to know that I need you, desperately, in my life. I don’t like weakness, but I am so thankful that I know that I can’t take on the world without You. Your grace is sufficient for me. Your power is perfected in my weakness. Thank You. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:9b …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Have a blessed day.

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Focused on Christ…. (Devo reflection)

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

This morning’s devo was about keeping our thoughts focused on Christ. These days—this time of year? This season of life?—I’m not doing so well with that. It’s definitely an area I need to surrender more fully to Him.

2 Corinthians 10:5 …take every thought captive to obey Christ….

When I allow my mind to drift toward the negative, when I don’t surrender those thoughts to Christ, when I allow myself to wallow in the negative….nothing true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, or commendable comes from that. Ever.

Colossians 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Lord, Thank You for reminding me of this issue. Help me to lay the negative, unproductive thoughts at Your feet so that I can be useful in Your service. Amen.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Have a blessed day.

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Receiving encouragement and support…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 

We all have our struggles and burdens…days, weeks, months that are just hard. This morning has me thinking about how God uses other people in our lives–to show His love, grace, compassion, encouragement. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up….” I think community, coming together to support and uplift each other, is an important part of God’s kingdom on earth.

2 Corinthians 12:9a But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

I appreciate my ability to be self-sufficient, to take care of myself and others, to get things done. But even I need people, and for someone who is used to DOING, it is hard to sit back and receive encouragement and support. But I think that’s part of what Paul is talking about here–my weakness means I’m not completely self-sufficient. God’s grace means I’m not meant to be. As a believer in Christ, *I* am part of His power on earth for others. And *I* am also in need of that support.

2 Corinthians 12:9b …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Lord, No one likes the idea of being weak, but in You, the ability to admit that I cannot do life alone, that I need other believers–so that I can uplift and encourage them and so that they can uplift and encourage me–that ability, that admission, is a strength because it frees me from the need to try to shoulder the world alone. Thank You, not only for the people that I get to love, pray for, and encourage, but for the people who love, pray for, and encourage me as well. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:10 That 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.

Have a blessed day.

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With Christ…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:7b …Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 

Verse 9, where Paul declares that he boasts gladly of his weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon him, reminds me of James 1:2, where we are encouraged to “Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds….” Boasting in weakness, celebrating in trails–both seem counter to the way things should be done.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 

But Christ was often One to turn things upside down from the normal order. Paul, among others, points that out many times. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 3:19, he says, “For the wisdom of this world is folly with God….” So why does Christ remind us that His grace is sufficient, His  power is made perfect in weakness? I think it is to remind us that if we depend on ourselves, on this world, we will be overcome. Every. Single. Time.

2 Corinthians 12:9 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.

Lord, Thank You for the reminder that if we root ourselves in You, if we recognize our weakness, that Your power will rest upon us, and we can, with You, overcome the troubles of the world. With You, the worst thing is never the last thing. With You, we can find both celebration in trials and joy in weakness. Thank You that You don’t play by the world’s rules. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:10 That 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.

Have a blessed day. I love you.

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Christ in me…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you…?

Christ Jesus is in us. Let that sink in for a minute. Christ Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, is IN us. He is infused throughout our beings. He is the breath in our lungs and the blood in our veins. To know that Christ is in me makes me feel incredibly powerful. I’m not helpless. Christ is in me.

2 Corinthians 13:11a Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace….

But, as we know from the super heroes, with power comes great responsibility. I can’t lock Christ away in a dark corner of my heart until it’s convenient and useful for me to let Him out. If Christ is in me—and He is!—then I need to be sure that He is infused in every thought, word, and action, in every breath and every deed.

2 Corinthians 13:11b …And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Lord, Thank You that You are not a dusty, powerless deity on a shelf, that You are the lord of my life, that You are in me. Help me to infuse You into all that I am so that my life can be an homage to You and Your love. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Have a blessed day.

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In this moment and every moment…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:7b …Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

We all have those moments of struggle and doubt, where we don’t feel like we measure up, where we doubt ourselves, our worth, our abilities. Those moments, which sometimes last a shockingly long time, are tough. Really tough.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

But what if those times are our thorn, a way for God to keep our egos in check, to keep us from getting too big for our britches? What if we lean into Galatians 2:20 “…yet not I, but Christ”? What if we admit, embrace our shortcomings, saying, “God, I cannot do this on my own. I need You. Help me”?

2 Corinthians 12:9 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Precious Savior, When my shortcomings and inadequacies stare me in the face, it’s easy to feel like a failure, but that’s the world’s view. You made me specifically for communion with You. Thank You that Your strength is perfected in my weakness, that Your grace is sufficient for me in this moment and every moment. Help me to cling to You always. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:10 That 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.

Have a blessed day.

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A work in progress…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Lord, Thank You that You love me as the hot mess that I am. You don’t expect perfection. You know I’m a work in progress. And yet You love me fiercely. I don’t deserve them and can never earn them, but I am eternally grateful for Your love, mercy, and compassion.

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

Lord, Thank You that when You see me, warts and all, You see Your creation, Your masterpiece. Every good and perfect gift in my life is from You. Help me to use the gifts and the strengths You’ve given me to comfort Your people and shine Your light.

2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Lord, Thank You that Your strength is perfected in my weakness. Thank You that I can share my weakness so that I can boast all the more loudly about Your strength. Thank You for showing me the strongholds that I still need to surrender to You. Thank You for loving me through it all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

Have a blessed day.

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Striving to be a more cheerful giver…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

I share my ugly humanity in these reflections in the hopes that others who struggle will see they are not alone and that that knowledge will help remove some of the stigma of the struggle. I am wholly embarrassed by my struggle with giving. And as with so much in life, my struggle is varied and nuanced and based in emotion and therefore not rational nor easy to dissect and correct, which is maddening.

2 Corinthians 9:7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

So I have to focus on what I can control or I will lose my mind. I know 1. my attitude in this area is a stronghold that I must surrender to God. 2. my attitude doesn’t permeate my entire being, it’s not omnipresent. That’s good. 3. my attitude is better, more generous now than when I was younger. I’m moving in the right direction. 4. I’m not there yet. I know it. God knows. So I’ll keep working on chipping away the attitude and surrendering it to Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Lord, Thank You for Your fierce love, even in my imperfection. Thank You for reminding me of the strongholds in my life that must still be surrounded to You. Thank You for the gifts of Your compassion and grace. Help me to be a more cheerful giver in every aspect of my life. Amen.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Have a blessed day.