We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Kelly Bryant.
Bible Reading:
“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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
Word:
One of the rules of water safety is not to jump in to save a drowning person unless you’ve been trained to do so. The person who is drowning wants to live so desperately that they may harm themselves or their rescuer in an attempt to save themselves. If the person was able to think rationally in that moment, they would realize that their best chance to survive is to relax and let their rescuer pull them to safety. The rescuers power works best when the drowning person surrenders.
Of course, God is in no danger of being pulled under, but the same premise applies regarding our surrender. God’s power works best when I stop reaching, striving and thrashing my limbs for things that can never save me and begin to trust in his sovereignty. Paul realized this in 2 Corinthians 12. Paul asked God three times to take away what he described as a “thorn in the flesh”. Instead of removing it, God said, “My grace is sufficient for you”. Through this, Paul recognized that anything (even uncomfortable things) that caused him to depend on Jesus was a good thing.
Paul went on to say that he now could take pleasure in weaknesses, hardships and difficulties; because it made space for Christ’s power to shine brightly. What if the thing that makes you feel like you’re drowning wasn’t meant to take you under? What if that situation is an opportunity for you to surrender to Jesus and allow his power to take center stage in your life. My friend, God didn’t cause the hardships and trouble we endure in this world, but he does promise to work them all for our good when we trust in him. Allow God’s sovereignty to change you perspective of the good and bad things that happen in your life. Anything that causes you to rely on Jesus is ultimately for your good.
Prayer:
Okay, God. I let it go. You know about ____________. I don’t need to keep trying to control this situation. Please help me release it into your hands and trust you with the rest. It’s in your name that we pray, amen.
Skillwork:
Live today in light of God’s control and sovereignty. How would today be different than yesterday if you surrender to him?
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