“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” 1 Corinthians 12:9 NASB

What is our pride and joy? It may be our role as wife and mom, our job, church, home, health, location, or material wealth.  These things are not bad; they are gifts from God that can bring him much glory.  However, are we more prone to boast about our merits that earn us these or do we marvel and tell of the awe of God who gave us these gifts, talents and abilities?

People have told me I’m so strong and someone recently asked me to share how I coped with my loss.  It was in all honestly purely God’s power at work in the weakest point of my life.  It was God using Scripture and its truths to apply them to my life.  It was God placing churches, families, individuals and books in front of me to affirm His love and care.  It was the effective prayers of saints all over the globe.  It was God’s unexplainable peace washing over me.  This journey has been one of the most difficult I’ve had to travail, yet simultaneously the most blessed.  Paul himself boasted about all that the Lord had done in His life despite his personal weakness and distress.  I’m sure he did not enjoy being shipwrecked, getting beatings and being without food or clothes in the cold.  Yet, more than his personal comfort and well-being, his greatest ambition was wanting to showcase the power and grace of the gospel in his life.

When all is said and done, and we meet Jesus face-to-face, we will be utter shock at the awesomeness of God and His gracious wonderous work!  Why not start now? This life is preparation for the better one to come.  So why live with reservations based on fear of discomfort.  Jesus himself, for the joy set before him, endured the cross despising its shame (Hebrews 12:2).  Many spend fortunes trying to avoid suffering; and we as a culture boast about our lives of ease and praise a pain-free life as the most successful.  I read a sign for a dentist that boasted of their ability to put patients to sleep for all of their dental procedures.  Life should not be spent avoiding pain at all cost, but fearlessly living out the life God gave us while using the talents he has entrusted us to make more talents.  In all of this, we can point the watching world to the giver of good gifts—the Father of lights in whom there is no variation or shifting shadow due to chance.  (James 1:17)

Celestial Father, you are source of all power, wisdom, strength and every good thing.  Thank you for the wonderful gifts you bless us with– the ones that are pleasant like soft rays of sunshine and even the ones that hurt and feel like sharp thorns.  You bestow us the grace to endure every wave and come out shining like gold with heavenly crowns that we may lay at your feet.  Forgive us when boasting in ourselves.  Lord make us empty and pure vessels for your use.  In Jesus’ name.