When weakness becomes a vessel for glory

There are times when it’s fine to stand in power yet still display humility. But there will also be times when you’ll be asked to stand in weakness so that God’s power may be magnified even more.

Dwelling on the past reveals how much one regrets or values something.

Not all aspects of the past make us want to change how we lived; some moments make us want to relive them.

Either way, the past can become an enemy of the present if we don’t consciously deliberate on what to take away from it.

For me, the past often reminds me of moments when I felt more alive and happier. Dwelling on the past in this way can mean longing to relive it because it seemed better than the present.

But to say that yesterday is better than today is to miss the purpose of today.

When the past feels happier than the present, remember this:

The lowly state of a soul provides the greatest opportunity to magnify the magnificent God.

Paul said, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.” But God didn’t remove it. Instead, He revealed the purpose of that thorn:

“My power is made perfect in weakness,” says the Lord.

The imperfections of man and the challenges we face, though undesirable, are ordained by God as the method by which His power is best revealed.

So, how do we rejoice in the knowledge of inevitable hardships?

In the same verse, God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

Aha! The hardship isn’t ours to bear alone—it’s shared with God. He has promised to provide everything we need to endure.

Lo and behold, after enduring, there is a promised reward.

If there’s one thing I want people to take away, it’s this:

If we rejoice, we rejoice with God. If we suffer, we know we share in the sufferings of Christ.

Seasons change. Chapters close, and new ones open. But each chapter has a purpose.

Look ahead, look beyond, and look unto Christ—the author and perfecter of our faith.

He will bring to completion the good work He started in you.