We step forward, He steps in

How many of us know that if we are messed up or feeling weak and scared, that qualifies us for doing something for God?

Doing it scared . .
Well first of all there is no shame in feeling weak and nervous about doing something, Paul even says he took pleasure in his weaknesses!
‘… For when I am weak, then I am strong.’ Corinthians 12:9-10
Of course we mustn’t stay in that place just holding onto that as an excuse. It’s as we step forward, ‘doing it scared’, that God steps in with his strength.

‘The only way to overcome your weakness is to rely on God’s strength. To do that, you have to stop focusing on your weaknesses. You cannot look at everything you are not. You must look at everything God is. Focus on His strength and all He is willing to do for you.
The weaknesses of the world are not your inheritance. Jesus did not come to earth, die on the cross, and rise again on the third day for you to be weak and defeated. He went through all that to give you an inheritance, authority in this life and His strength to rule over your circumstances.
In any area where you stumble, God is ready and willing to provide you with His strength. So the next time you find yourself confronted by your weakness, remember and declare that where you are weak, He is strong!’ Joyce Meyer

We do our bit, God does His (giant enormous big) bit
About three years ago I began chatting to two ladies on the train to work. We got quite friendly talking about work and this and that. On occasion I did talk to them about my faith, sharing stories, I think. Anyway, I really built myself up and asked them both to come to the alpha course at church . . they both politely said no. 😦  About 18 months ago, one lady took semi retirement and the other lady left work to have a baby, so I didn’t see them anymore. Just a couple of weeks ago, the lady (with the baby) popped up in church, very enthusiastic and promising to come again! So how did that happen? Well I did my bit and honestly I thought I’d been a total failure, however, God did his work! After not seeing the lady for a couple of weeks I said to my wife that maybe I should pop round to her house and she was like, ‘No, No, God has shown you what he is doing, at least for now, let Him carry on doing it!’ 🙂

God works in our messiness
Also even in our ‘messed upness’, God does his work. On first appearances the Samaritan woman Jesus speaks to at the well, seems the opposite of anyone very spiritual  . .she’s had five husbands and is living with someone who is not her husband . .yet she says that when the Messiah comes he will tell us everything. So the least likely person in the village, the least respectable, the ignored and immoral person, actually had something in her heart and despite seeming like the most messed up person, Jesus chose her to tell all the village about him! And he chooses you and me! In our messy, busy lives God chooses us to bring His love to people!

God not only brings strength to help us, also beauty and delightfulness in the, ‘doing’, as we look to Him. His ‘favor’, makes what we do amazing, in a way we could never expect!

‘And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands–yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.’ Psalm 90:17 (AMP)

As we think about these things let’s make the verse above into our own prayer

I pray you are encouraged this week

Thanks for reading

Andy