“But this precious treasure—this light and power that now shine within us—is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.”
What a comfort this verse provides to me on a day like today. You see, I have naturally low energy, and I often struggle with feeling weak or tired. Today is a tired day, but at least it’s Sunday so I can get extra rest. I’m encouraged that the times when I’m weakest can show God’s power the most. Here’s my story…
Ever since I was a child, I’ve felt more tired than my peers. I’ve always been a light sleeper and prone to waking up several times during the night from vivid dreams. In college I got very sick, and the doctors suspected mononucleosis and/or Epstein-Barr virus. They prescribed rest, so for a week I skipped class and slept up to 16 hours a day. The fatigue I experienced during that time was so debilitating, nothing I experienced during my pregnancies or early weeks with my newborn babies even came close. I really haven’t been the same since that sickness; even now I’m more susceptible to getting colds and viruses when I lose sleep just two nights in a row.
A couple years ago I asked my doctor to run some tests for my chronic fatigue. All results came back negative, which she said was good, but it was just the way I was made and I would have to learn to cope. Not long after that, I was lamenting my diagnosis with a family friend. She surprised me when she said, “God created you this way, Sarah. You are so intuitive that you notice things on a deeper level than other people. That takes a different kind of mental energy which exhausts you. What you don’t have in physical energy is made up in the other unique ways God has gifted you.”
Since that conversation, I’ve chosen to see my low-energy weakness as a gift rather than a burden. It’s still very challenging to deal with my weakness as a work-from-home mom of three little ones. But God is glorified when I ask him to help me be the best mom I can be on the tired days, and he comes through. He also comes through for me by helping me get up early to exercise, and he provides time for me to nap when I really need it. Of course, I can also glorify God by using my creative energy on projects such as writing or painting, and trust him to make up the difference for lost physical energy.
I often turn to 2 Corinthians 12:9 for encouragement on difficult days:
“Each time [the Lord] said, ‘My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me.”
If I take the time to tell others how God works through me in spite of my weakness of low energy, they can see God’s power in my life. How can you put God’s power on display through your particular weakness?
Copyright 2009
Showing posts with label power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label power. Show all posts
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
1 Corinthians 1:18
"I [Paul] know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God."
Have you ever been branded a fool for sharing your faith? At times, I have played the fool for faith. I used to feel frustrated when those who criticized me for my faith didn't understand my perspective. I mean, I wasn't making fun of them for what they believed...didn't they owe me the same measure of respect? But through my Bible study, I started to learn that they cannot understand the message of the gospel until the Holy Spirit enlightens their hearts. Indeed, the gospel is "foolish" not because its message is unclear, untrue, or irrelevant to today's world; it sounds foolish to them because their hearts are unmoved. In fact, the gospel can sound rather offensive to them, especially if they grew up in the church but may not yet have authentic faith. So, knowing this has changed my prayer life. Before I meet with people who have criticized my faith, I pray that their hearts would be softened, receptive, and open, and I don't worry about looking like a fool anymore, though I am careful to speak the truth in love.
Since God has changed me with "the message of the cross," it has been easy to see how it shows up as "the very power of God" in my daily life. Sometimes I pray for the simple tasks like, "God, give me the strength to finish washing these dishes, because I'm feeling overwhelmed right now." Or, after an especially weary day of mothering and working, I pray that God will give me just one more half-hour of energy for time with my husband. And once those prayers have been answered, I know that God's power worked through me, because I had no power of my own on reserve. When I see God's power in those small things, it gives me hope that my "bigger" prayers will be answered, such as my prayer for the past 10 months that our spec house would sell.
Often my mom friends from church and I discuss, "What if we had to face our mountains without knowing God's power is available to us? It would feel so lonely and overwhelming." I feel so blessed knowing God will give me his power in both the small things as a wife and mother, and more so in the big things, and that He is with me all along the journey. How do you see the power of God working in your life, if you have been saved by the message of the cross?
Copyright 2009
Have you ever been branded a fool for sharing your faith? At times, I have played the fool for faith. I used to feel frustrated when those who criticized me for my faith didn't understand my perspective. I mean, I wasn't making fun of them for what they believed...didn't they owe me the same measure of respect? But through my Bible study, I started to learn that they cannot understand the message of the gospel until the Holy Spirit enlightens their hearts. Indeed, the gospel is "foolish" not because its message is unclear, untrue, or irrelevant to today's world; it sounds foolish to them because their hearts are unmoved. In fact, the gospel can sound rather offensive to them, especially if they grew up in the church but may not yet have authentic faith. So, knowing this has changed my prayer life. Before I meet with people who have criticized my faith, I pray that their hearts would be softened, receptive, and open, and I don't worry about looking like a fool anymore, though I am careful to speak the truth in love.
Since God has changed me with "the message of the cross," it has been easy to see how it shows up as "the very power of God" in my daily life. Sometimes I pray for the simple tasks like, "God, give me the strength to finish washing these dishes, because I'm feeling overwhelmed right now." Or, after an especially weary day of mothering and working, I pray that God will give me just one more half-hour of energy for time with my husband. And once those prayers have been answered, I know that God's power worked through me, because I had no power of my own on reserve. When I see God's power in those small things, it gives me hope that my "bigger" prayers will be answered, such as my prayer for the past 10 months that our spec house would sell.
Often my mom friends from church and I discuss, "What if we had to face our mountains without knowing God's power is available to us? It would feel so lonely and overwhelming." I feel so blessed knowing God will give me his power in both the small things as a wife and mother, and more so in the big things, and that He is with me all along the journey. How do you see the power of God working in your life, if you have been saved by the message of the cross?
Copyright 2009
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