My Weakness His Strength
I find as we are going through this trial with our daughter, Hannah and trying to balance out life and ministry there are times I feel the weight of it all. It seems like too much to bear!
I have to keep reminding myself of God’s promises. His promises are all true in Christ Jesus.
I feel weak today. One of our good friends, pastor Stephen Phelan visited us in the hospital and he shared one of things that he reminds himself of when he feels weak is, “I can’t, but he can.” Our family has claimed that, and we keep reminding ourselves and Hannah of this truth.
2 Corinthians 12 speaks of God’s strength that is made perfect in our weakness.
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. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV – emphasis mine)
This difficult season serves to show us our weakness in Technicolor. It is not enjoyable, but I know the Lord uses it and he has a purpose in it. We seek to trust him.
Today I woke up feeling very weak. I just posted on my blog yesterday, A Call to Prayer – Update on Hannah and I sent out an email update. I asked for increased prayer for a breakthrough for Hannah. Since I sent those appeals out I’ve felt attacked, so I realize that our family also needs prayer protection.
Enduring Hope & Renewed Strength
I mentioned Ernest Shackleton maintaining hope among his crew for a year while they were ship-wreaked and stranded in Antarctica. They faced insurmountable odds. I think the longer this goes for us, our hope gets clouded. There’s a fog blocking our sight. So today in Christ’s strength I choose to lift up my eyes to hills from where my help comes. The Lord is my rock and my refuge.
Dawn and I are claiming God’s promises for our family and praying for the renewed strength like the eagle from Isaiah 40.
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV – emphasis mine)
We Need Jesus & We Need You
Thanks for joining us on this journey. We can’t got it alone. We need Jesus, and we need a band of brothers and sisters – faithful friends who hold us up! We are thankful that each day Hannah is improving.
One thing I would ask prayer for besides Hannah’s total and complete healing is wisdom as Dawn and I daily try to figure out what we can realistically do, and to be content with that.
In His Loving Grip, Dave