The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit... (13:14)This is the generous God we call Father, Friend, Provider. And yet, He chooses to show us His vastness through placing limits on us. Limits that are frustrating, embarrassing, humiliating. They may be physical or mental or financial or experiential or emotional or circumstantial or relational. Whatever it is, we all have some personal limits that can discourage and distress us.
I have felt limited by various circumstances and personal traits throughout my life. When I was in elementary school, I felt labeled because of my special ed sister. In college, I sometimes believed my mental abilities weren't enough. During graduate school years, our finances were scarce. Through the childbearing and early child-raising years, I felt very limited in time, energy and availability. When helping in church plants, the lack of leadership was incredibly stifling. At times, our small home felt like a restraint on ministry. Now, my aging eyesight is frustrating me and my whole life, my melancholy personality has felt like a weakness.
Paul's familiar perspective on his God-given limits provides a very different view:
Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was to push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. (12:7-10)Paul names the gifts - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks - gifts of limits on our lives that give place for Christ's strength to move into our lives. I'm struggling with God to view my weakness as His strength; to see that His grace is enough.
2 comments:
Amen. His grace is sufficient. How come I always forget that when I am weak, especially, I can just let Christ take over and through Him, the stronger I become?
I'm also struggling to see my weakness as His strength and to see that His grace is enough. I'm so quick at condemning myself but Christ came to set us free. Lord, help me to experience FREEDOM IN YOU.
Reading Paul's "defense" but not "defense" of himself to the Corinthians shows me that even those who follow Jesus alongside you will criticize you and be quick to judge. But we answer to God not to others. Thinking that one day I'd really like to finish the book, When People are Big and God is small. Jesus, be my ultimate and only master.
Melancholy personality?? I don't see it, sweet friend. You're always a light and a refreshing joy to be with. For realz.
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