In the past month, our family has been in the midst of some very tough trials. Right around the time everything has been happening, I have also been going through my own set of personal challenges. For example, I got my THIRD case of COVID. I had it in 2020, 2021, and now again—in 2022! I’m now calling it my annual COVID sabbatical, because all I have the energy to do is sleep and spend time with God. 😏 (I’ve asked God if we can do a sabbatical in 2023– without the ‘VID.) 🤣 COVID totally incapacitated me so I was unable to assist in the multidimensional family crisis that was going down. I was so tired, I couldn’t even drive three hours to assist my child who needed my support.
All I could do was ask God to help.
But—isn’t this where we should ALWAYS start—by asking God? If you know me, you know I want to be a superhero and swoop in and fix everything INSTEAD of allowing God to do HIS work—HIS WAY. So, evidently, He nearly has to immobilize me to get ME—out of HIS way. [I’m hoping that three times with COVID has cured me of my superhero complex.] God is teaching me the truth—I am completely helpless—without Him. He is showing me that my life is frail. My mind and body could fail at any moment. He is giving me the blessed comfort of learning a CRITICAL life lesson from the following two passages:
“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
II Corinthians 12:10 https://bible.com/bible/114/2co.12.10.NKJV
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 https://bible.com/bible/114/php.4.13.NKJV
I only experience the supernatural strength of God—when I get out of the way. When I refuse to get out of the way, sometimes God just steps aside and allows me to be incapacitated. There’s plenty of evil around me to knock me off my feet. All God has to do, is stay His hand of protection—even just a little. Oh my dear friend, I am learning that there are some battles only HE can handle! Unless I get out of His way, the battle will be lost and I will be crushed in the process. I’m reminded of my mama’s advice, “Honey, Pray and get out of the way!”
I am NOT an army of one and—neither are you.
God is teaching me that He wants me to do life HIS way, so I can give glory to HIM. I am created for His glory, and He is showing me how to live my destiny—even if it means that I need to be laid flat on my back from time to time. I’m sure God would rather that I just learn to fight the battles—His way. It reminds me of the story of Gideon from Judges chapter 7.
Gideon was a farmer, but God called him to become the commander of warriors and to drive out the Midianites. So, Gideon did the logical thing—he rallied the people and—32,000 men enlisted. But God said to Gideon:
“The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My OWN hand has saved me.'”
Judges 7:2 https://bible.com/bible/114/jdg.7.2.NKJV.
So, God eliminated 31,700 men and only 300 warriors remained to fight the thousands of Midianites. And thus…
…when Israel won, there was no question the victory belonged to God alone!
My dear friend, if you are up against a battle you can’t win, take a step back and turn it ALL over to God. Don’t hold anything back. He longs to fight your battles for you and show you His great power and might.
“The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, WILL save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 https://bible.com/bible/114/zep.3.17.NKJV
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