This morning, nothing seemed to go right. My truck wouldn’t start (apparently it was too cold), a circuit blew in the church and I couldn’t find the breaker (someone knew, so thank God it’s up again), and I am absolutely late in getting everything I need to do, well…done. The thing is, none of it is too big for God, and, while I may have been panicking, He wasn’t. Last night, I couldn’t sleep. It had been a very busy day, we’ve been simplifying our house, and my mind was racing. So I prayed. This morning, as I’m writing this, I can’t help but think of something Corrie Ten Boom once said: “nothing is too big for God’s power, and nothing is too small for His love.” So in every circumstance, I am thankful that I prayed through them.
Loved ones, whatever you’re going through this morning, that statement reigns true: “nothing is too big for God’s power, and nothing is too small for His love.” Sometime, God says “no” or “wait” instead of “yes,” but only because He knows what is best for us. But God moves mountains on faith. Sometimes, we need to pray, like that desperate dad who approached Christ about his demon afflicted son “Lord, I believe. Help me with my unbelief.” In every and all circumstance, God desires our dependence and attention. Whether things are favorable or foul, God desires our dependence and attention. Whatever your circumstance, remember: because of the Spirit of God who lives within us, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.
2 Corinthians 1:3-11
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
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