August 13 - 2 Corinthians 12: God's Gift of Limitations

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 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. 

...We don't just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them   (12:7-10; 13:9)

The reality of God is so contrary to the reality of the world.  To lead, serve.  To be first, be last.  To be strong, be weak.  God is not only asking me to thank Him for my weaknesses and the limitations He has given me, but to celebrate them.  Usually I cry, complain, get angry, and even strategize about my limitations.  Rarely do I celebrate my financial constraints, personality deficits, and relational difficulties.  I mostly live in my reality, not God's.

A dear friend of mine experiences limitations on nearly every front - health, finances, relationships, family - in fact, the difficulties in her life seem to pile up beyond what most people experience.  I often wonder why.  Why this beautiful woman who has sought God so faithfully has been given such "handicaps."  The ridiculousness of this question has struck me.  Her beauty is the strength of God displayed through her weakness.  Without the limitations God gifted her with, she would be stuck in her own quite extraordinary abilities.  Instead, God continues to "cut her down to size."  Not because He is cruel, heartless, or unforgiving.  But because He loves her exquisite dependence, her glorious mess, the loveliness of her conversations and life with Him.

In great contrast, I stubbornly hold on to the illusion of my own strengths and capabilities.  Deceived that working hard to keep my life together and managing it well is pleasing to God.  Paul is in my face this morning letting me know that I have it backwards, once again.  The Holy Spirit is appealing to me to not merely thank Him for my limitations, not only to celebrate my handicaps, but to see them as perfectly chosen, exquisitely wrapped gifts from Him that invite me to live deeply in the reality of His presence.