It is only because of His grace that we can do anything!
“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him,”
Hebrews 11:6 (NLT).
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need,” Matthew 6:33 (NLT).
In our culture, independence and self-reliance are not only encouraged, but in a way they are expected and oftentimes celebrated. There is nothing wrong, in and of itself, with being an independent person. The problem occurs when we resort to relying only on ourselves. We begin to think we are the ones who make things happen!
We can all relate to this feeling of weakness—it’s part of the human condition. But something amazing happens when instead of being fiercely independent, we become fiercely in dependence on Him. When we encounter obstacles, doubts, rejection and disappointments, we are able to clearly see our weaknesses and realize that it is only because of His grace that we can do anything.
Let us be reminded of the Apostle Paul and his wisdom concerning the power in weakness:
“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NLT).
I want to share the following story about an international student whose weaknesses or hardships proved to be her greatest strength. Our ministry friend writes:
“Becky was raised in a large family in rural Africa. She faced many challenges growing up with all the hardships of living in such an oppressed area of her country. Her family did not have much materially—not by the world’s standards, but her parents were committed to their children obtaining a good education. With that education, Becky, along with some of her siblings, was able to come to America and study. She started at the New York Fashion Institute and developed a design business that created jobs both in the United States and in her home country. God led her to seminary and then on to New York University and Harvard. Becky’s heart was always to use her position here to help people, not only in her country, but also in other African countries. God granted her favor. Today, she serves with her embassy in Washington, D.C., networks with the leadership of various African countries with the goal of economic development throughout Africa. Becky leads an organization that is designed for the training of business leaders across Africa. God is bringing hope and change to many nations through the life, effort, faith and perseverance of this very special woman.”
God desires a heart that seeks Him. And with such a heart, He opens doors of service. Friend, I pray that whatever you are going through in your life right now that you are fully surrendered to your Heavenly Father. His grace is all you need. Seek Him first, and He will open doors that will bless you beyond measure!
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need,” Matthew 6:33 (NLT).
For More Information
Did you know that ISI offers a variety of free training resources to help people grow and develop cross-cultural ministry skills? Visit our training site to learn more and to access our free training modules.
“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him,”
Hebrews 11:6 (NLT).
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need,” Matthew 6:33 (NLT).
In our culture, independence and self-reliance are not only encouraged, but in a way they are expected and oftentimes celebrated. There is nothing wrong, in and of itself, with being an independent person. The problem occurs when we resort to relying only on ourselves. We begin to think we are the ones who make things happen!
We can all relate to this feeling of weakness—it’s part of the human condition. But something amazing happens when instead of being fiercely independent, we become fiercely in dependence on Him. When we encounter obstacles, doubts, rejection and disappointments, we are able to clearly see our weaknesses and realize that it is only because of His grace that we can do anything.
Let us be reminded of the Apostle Paul and his wisdom concerning the power in weakness:
“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NLT).
I want to share the following story about an international student whose weaknesses or hardships proved to be her greatest strength. Our ministry friend writes:
“Becky was raised in a large family in rural Africa. She faced many challenges growing up with all the hardships of living in such an oppressed area of her country. Her family did not have much materially—not by the world’s standards, but her parents were committed to their children obtaining a good education. With that education, Becky, along with some of her siblings, was able to come to America and study. She started at the New York Fashion Institute and developed a design business that created jobs both in the United States and in her home country. God led her to seminary and then on to New York University and Harvard. Becky’s heart was always to use her position here to help people, not only in her country, but also in other African countries. God granted her favor. Today, she serves with her embassy in Washington, D.C., networks with the leadership of various African countries with the goal of economic development throughout Africa. Becky leads an organization that is designed for the training of business leaders across Africa. God is bringing hope and change to many nations through the life, effort, faith and perseverance of this very special woman.”
God desires a heart that seeks Him. And with such a heart, He opens doors of service. Friend, I pray that whatever you are going through in your life right now that you are fully surrendered to your Heavenly Father. His grace is all you need. Seek Him first, and He will open doors that will bless you beyond measure!
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need,” Matthew 6:33 (NLT).
For More Information
Did you know that ISI offers a variety of free training resources to help people grow and develop cross-cultural ministry skills? Visit our training site to learn more and to access our free training modules.
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