Sometimes it's a little threatening to have a blog like this. I love having it and I love doing it but I think I always have to have something "profound" to post...which is why I haven't posted anything since last Friday. If you know me at all you know that I am not a very profound person...I'm just trying, like we all are, to live in a manner worthy of my calling (Phil 1:27). And often times I fail on this journey. I have been reading through Romans accompanied by Max Lucado's book "In the Grip of Grace". And you can't talk about the grace of God without coming face-to-face with the sin in your own life. Paul understood this as he wrote the following in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9:
"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was giving me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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."
I, like Paul, have spent the last week pleading with God to remove something from my life. And I have been met with the same response from God..."my grace is sufficient."
There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get. That may sound a little demanding but the Bible does say to “ask God for everything you need” (Phil 4:16).
And so you pray and wait.
No answer.
You pray and wait.
No answer.
You pray and wait.
Let me ask you the same question that Max Lucado (through his book) asked me…What if God says no? What is the request if delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, “I’ve given you my grace, and this is enough,” will you be content?
Content. That’s the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has. There are those times when God, having given us his grace, hears our appeals and says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Is he being unfair? Is God still a good God when he says no?
You wonder why God doesn’t remove temptation from your life? If he did, you might lean on your own strength instead of his grace. A few stumbles might be what you need to convince you: His grace is sufficient for your sin.
You wonder why God doesn’t remove the enemies in your life? Perhaps because he wants you to love like he loves. Anyone can love a friend, but only a few can love an enemy. So what if you aren’t everyone’s hero? His grace is sufficient for your self-image.
You wonder why God doesn’t alter your personality? Are you a bit rough around the edges? Say things you later regret or do things you later question? Why doesn’t God make you more like him? He is. He’s just not finished with you yet. Until he is, his grace is sufficient to overcome your flaws.
For all we don’t know about thorns, we can be sure of this. God would prefer we have an occasional limp than a perpetual strut. And if it takes a thorn for him to make his point, he loves us enough not to pluck it out.
God has every right to say no to us. We have every reason to say thanks to him. I don’t think I’ll even sing “Your Grace Is Enough” the same again…
3 comments:
I believe GOD says no or says wait because what we ask for if given is not for our good. Do I understand this or like it? No. But God is always right. Also the bible says ask for everything you NEED who but God knows the answer to this question. Also if we are in God's will we will ask for those things God wants for us. And if God wants it for us he would say yes. So if he says no or not now isn't this a sign that we need to draw closer to God?
As you see lots of ?? not alot of answers. I need to be closer to God!!
Glad to see you had a good time with your family. The pictures are great.
Your friend,
A
(Arlen)
profound!
i especially like the part about god would rather us have an occasional limp them a perpetual strut. that's so true
the unprofitable one,
Joe W Hartsell Jr
Funny that I read this today, I was just reading about God saying no today. In the life application part it put it like this. If a child were to ask their father for a poisonous snake, would the father provide? Probably not. So there are times when we ask for things that we might not think are dangerous to us or for us, but God knows differently and doesn't provide that request. So He isn't necessarily not giving it to us, but He is protecting us.
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