Tuesday Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:10
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Devotion:
I don't think any of us will actually admit to being happy about being sad or happy to be in trouble! But when push comes to shove and we are in troubled times, that is when we can really show off God's power and grace. Those are the times when we finally give in and let God have His way in our lives! That is when God can actually do things in our lives without being hindered by our self importance and stubbornness!
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:10
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Devotion:
I don't think any of us will actually admit to being happy about being sad or happy to be in trouble! But when push comes to shove and we are in troubled times, that is when we can really show off God's power and grace. Those are the times when we finally give in and let God have His way in our lives! That is when God can actually do things in our lives without being hindered by our self importance and stubbornness!
When things start to get us down, we cry out to God. But most of the time we cry out in a half hearted manner because we don't really expect Him to be able or willing to do something for us – after all just who are we to ask Him for help! But that is our first mistake. God wants us to call on Him all the time. He wants to be able to help us out and to be able to be there at all times for us – we are the ones that lack the faith to be able to stand up and ask with Christ's full authority!
When things do go wrong, He has put those obstacles in our way so that we can learn from them. He wants us to see that we can not only depend on Him but that we can be prepared for things that will happen in our lives in the future. When we start to crumble under the strain and pressure, we grind ourselves down until we finally find that we are standing on solid ground – we have a firm foundation upon which we are based. Nothing will ever grind us down beyond Christ. If we are willing to expose Him when the grinding starts and not wait until it is almost over, then we will find that we have that firm foundation before we have to go through too much!
If we are open to all that God will allow in our lives and open to allow Him to show His strength through us, then we will find out what a pleasure it is to be able to live a life with Christ – no matter what happens to us!
Points to Ponder:
Who do you cry out to for help when things go wrong in your life?
Do you allow others to see that Christ is behind you all the way?
Who do you cry out to for help when things go wrong in your life?
Do you allow others to see that Christ is behind you all the way?