I was faced with a situation where others were making decisions about my future, and I had no power to influence these. As I struggled with this, the Lord brought two verses to mind.
As Paul talked to God about his thorn in the flesh, in 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 God said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.“ Paul’s weakness in his situation was the opening to the power of God. So how was he to access this power?
“Therefore,” Paul said, “I will boast in my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest on me.” Embracing the situation, giving thanks for our weakness, exalting in it opens the way for Christ’s power to flow into the situation.
Then Paul says an amazing thing. "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
He had caught the fact that these negative situations were opportunities for two things: an adventure with the power of God, and a chance to give honor to Jesus.
This understanding is helpful to me, lifting my eyes off of what I am losing in my situation onto the opportunity to let go, hold on and rise above the attacks of the enemy! Quite a change in perspective, possible only through thinking God’s thoughts. Give it a try!
Picture: Learning to Let go, Hold on, Rise above.