Have you ever felt like you lacked the strength to accomplish what you were called to do? In times like that, it is easy to let go of hope for the future and even hope for this present moment. We can take heart, because God has made it clear that his will for his peoples’ lives is much better than that. Carter Conlon examines the way that God responds to us in our times of weakness.
Years ago when I first planted the church in Detroit, we started a prayer meeting on a Friday night. It was two ladies who prayed, one guy who just sat there and read the Bible, a demoniac who was manifesting in the corner, and me sitting there, thinking, “This is the worst prayer meeting in the nation, and if I weren’t the pastor, I wouldn’t come.”
Now these two ladies found a man on the street who had just gotten beat up the night before and had three broken ribs. They told him, “You’re going to come to our prayer meeting, and you’re going to be healed at that prayer meeting.”
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
Are giants really necessary? Must we really suffer? While victory is possible over the challenges in our lives, it is only by God's strength. And as Carter Conlon reminds us, perhaps that's why the giants exist—so that we come to realize our need for him.
One cold evening, my friend and I walked out of the theater, laughing about some scene in Thor: Ragnarok and then paused at the sight of blue and red flashing lights down the street.
“Wonder what all the police are doing, blocking the road,” my friend said.
We often fight our weaknesses and attempt to cover our failures. Yet, Paul boasted in his weakness and reminded us that in our deficiency, God gives us his strength. Gary Wilkerson shares three Scriptural truths that were redefined for him, allowing him to live with greater sincerity and honesty. When you embrace your weaknesses, you'll begin to rely on a source greater than yourself.