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(This post will make more sense if you read parts one and two. Thanks.)
When we let the hardships of living in this world break us, then something is not right. That’s not what God intended. But the problem is NOT that YOU are too weak!
The problem is that YOU are still too strong. It’s kind of like what John the Baptist said in John 3:30. In fact, why don’t you take a few moments and read these verses…
The difference — the power — that is within us who are Christ-followers is only seen when we accept that it’s not about OUR strength — it’s about HIS. And we get in the way of HIS strength shining through the cracks in our jar when we keep expecting that somehow it’s about OUR strength. It’s like we’re trying to plate our clay jar with titanium or something. We’re too focused on working from the outside in. Instead, we need to focus less on what we need to DO and more on what we need to BE.
- Let’s BE poor in our own spirit, knowing that we are totally dependent on HIM.
- Let’s BE mournful about the sin in our life.
- Let’s BE gentle and merciful with others instead of always expecting that from others.
- Let’s BE hungry and thirsty for HIS righteousness instead of making choices based on our own standard of what’s right.
- Let’s BE peacemakers who are grieved by the gossip and slander we hear instead of tickled by it.
- Let’s BE willing to risk it all for the cause of Christ.
In other words, let’s DENY SELF and LOSE OUR LIFE because of the knowledge of the glory of God that we have been given in Christ. Then and only then will we be weak enough to be strong.
Grateful for His voice…
(Thanks for being here but please read the previous post before reading this one.)
OK…so…I just told you that YOU’re too strong in all those examples where you thought YOU were too weak. Let me tell you what I heard the Shepherd say.
He says that He has always known that YOU and I are weak. It’s really never been God’s intention that you do ANYthing because of YOUr strength. YOU and I are the “earthen vessels” — the fragile clay jars in which God has put the “treasure“.
The “treasure” is “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” In other words, what God has “shone in our hearts” is the good news of Jesus — the gospel of His love and power for us who will believe. What makes you strong is not YOU. YOU and I are just weak, fragile clay jars. It’s what is on the INSIDE that gives us STRENGTH — the knowledge of the glory of God that we find IN CHRIST. It is what is on the INSIDE that makes the DIFFERENCE.
What is the DIFFERENCE? The Shepherd had Paul explain the difference in the next two verses.
(Did you click on the link and read what the Shepherd told Paul to write?)
So, the DIFFERENCE is that we fragile clay jars may get tossed around and abused by the ways of the world but we don’t break! We’re not crushed! Pretty AMAZING for “fragile clay jars” don’t you think!? Oh, we may suffer a crack now and then but that’s OK ’cause we don’t BREAK! I guess you could say that it was God’s intention that we be “cracked pots for Jesus”! In fact, the cracks just let the LIGHT of the knowledge of the glory of God shine through all the more!
And that’s what God has always wanted! As you already read in verse 7, God wanted this “surpassing greatness of the power” to always be seen as being HIS power and not from yourSELF.
What was that? What did you just think? Oh…were you thinking that more often than not you are “crushed”, “despairing”, feeling “forsaken” and “destroyed” by the troubles of this world? Yeah, I can relate to that. But I’m going to tell you tomorrow why we sometimes feel that way.
Listening for His encouragement…
Sheep am dumb. It’s a weakness but it’s good when we accept it. I think our worst times come when we refuse to accept it and end up relying on some false pretense of strength. Let me give you an example.
Let’s say, for instance, that you know you should pray and read your bible. But, even though you have good intentions of doing those things you always seem to come up short. When that happens, how do you explain it to yourself? Do you tell yourself that you are just “too weak” to set aside the needed time? You just always seem to let other things crowd out the necessary time that you would like to spend in prayer and bible study? So, you end up believing that YOU are “too weak”?
Let’s try another example…let’s say that someone has hurt you in the past. It was wrong what they did to you and even though you know you should forgive, you have not been able to do so. OK, so how do you explain that to yourself? Do you tell yourself that you don’t have the strength to forgive? In other words, once again, YOU are “too weak”?
We could keep going with more examples that involve other issues like serving the Lord, tithing, witnessing, etc. but in the end if those are areas with which you struggle how do you explain it to yourself? Does it basically come back to YOU and YOUr strength? YOU can’t find the time to serve? YOU can’t figure out how you can afford to tithe? YOU don’t know enough to lead someone to Christ? YOU…YOU…YOU are just too weak!
Let me try to encourage you. YOU are not too weak. YOU are too strong.
I’ll explain why tomorrow.
Still listening…
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