Many times I feel like the worst Christian in the world. I think of all the times I lose patience, I fail to notice the needs of others, I act selfishly, get annoyed with my husband or a coworker, judge those around me....blah blah blah. Intellectually I know I am not the only one struggling with these things, but in my heart, at the end of the day, I often feel like I've struck out again and all His other children have scored a home run. I feel like my witness is ugly rather than shining the love of Christ to those around me.
So in the daily devotional "31 Days of Praise" by Ruth Meyers I read a coupe of lines that set the proverbial light bulb off in my mind. "Thank You that I can trust You to remove or change any of my weaknesses and handicaps and shortcomings the moment they are not longer needed for Your glory, and for my good, and for the good of other people....and that in the meantime, Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in my weakness." What an amazing thought. Even my failures can and will bring God glory.
Now, I am not saying we do not strive to be like Jesus. To improve and grow and change so that we reflect His character and His love. I am not saying that we don't cooperate with the Holy Spirit to put off the old man, as we are told in Colossians 3. There we are told what our behavior as Christians should look like.
Colossians 3:5-13 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Man
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
But it is God's timing as to when we grow, when we change. I want to be changed completely overnight! I want all my rough edges gone and to be the sweetest, most loving, most Christ-like person who walks around in my little sphere of the world. And I want it now!! But what if the world only saw perfect Christians? What if they never saw real people who struggle with sin and failure. What if they only saw people who did everything right and never had to have the courage to apologize for doing wrong? I'm not sure I'd want to be around someone who was "perfect" all the time, how much less a non-Christian would want to be. And if I was that "perfect" Christians where would my need for God be, would pride come in and steal my heart from depending on my Savior?
What an encouragement to me to know that God's timing, and God's plan for my change and growth is perfect and active. How encouraging that I do not have to go around feeling guilty all the time because I know as long as I am working with the Lord to change I am in the center of His will. How uplifting that He can use me anywhere, anytime, just as I am to reach those who need Him. What a wonderful God visit!
Lord, thank You for making me just as I am. Thank You for using fallen, stumbly Christians just like me to reach fallen, stumbly people who need to hear the Gospel. Thank You that in me they can see a normal, fallible human being who needs a Savior just like they do, not a perfect person, but a person who is perfectly loved. Please use me in a mighty way to reach those I come in contact with. Thank You for using our weaknesses to show Your strength.
God will use you just as you are. Keep relying on Him.
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