Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Galatians 3:3).
Funny that that should be one of our struggles, isn’t it, to do things unaided, when aid is available?
It’s certainly one of my struggles. As I wrote yesterday, I am becoming better at waiting to hear God’s directive before I start something.
What I am still no good at is continuing as I started, by relying on God’s power, rather than running in in my own strength.
This is true both for things like blogging or writing, which are strengths, or dieting and exercise, which are weaknesses.
Learning to rely on God’s power and strength, rather than a sort of DIY is going to be a life-long battle.
And until I learn the art of asking for God’s help in my area of weakness, rather than simply failing (diet, exercise) or succeeding by overwork (in leading Bible studies, for instance, a strength, or writing), I guess I will not know what Paul meant when he said, “When I am weak, then I am strong. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Or hear Christ say, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.”
The weaknesses I need to rely on God’s strength for are diet, exercise and disciplining myself to be tidy.
And I also need to rely on God’s help in using my strengths–writing and blogging–so that I don’t exhaust myself, and so that what I write has value.
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Anita says
Yes, I barely know what it means on a day to day level. One time I used to experience it was when guests were going to arrive in an hour or so, and the house was a tip. Then I literally needed to pray about what to tackle first and how to tackle it! Now of course, I've become a lot tidier!
Red says
Yes I think for capable people, (and I include both you and I in that bracket!), relying on God, and truly relying on Him is pretty hard. A vicar once said to me one reason they had gone into ministry was because they knew they could do a lot in their own strength, but they did not want to live that life. To be in ministry would require one to be totally reliant on God. I wonder how much it takes for us to actually be listening to Him and his plans rather than our own. I try and I struggle!
redx
PS; looking forward to meeting you at Lesley and Alans in an few weeks 🙂