Weakness...

Just for starters, I hate that I have friends that know me well enough to see that there is more going on in my life than I will admit at times. And yet, I LOVE YOU! (All of you know who you are....) So thanks! Thanks for having invested enough in my pitiful life to know me in my weaknesses and still put up with me! You are each an incredible blessing to my life! And with that said....let's move on!

Lately, I have been a bit stressed, if you didn't know. I have no problem admitting to that, but it does hurt my pride some when others can see that in me. It is a sign of weakness, as if to say "I can't handle life right now." But just yesterday, a friend of mine, who probably has no idea that they did this, really humbled me and reminded me that it isn't about me. In a conversation, after I had stated that I was stressed, this friend of mine asked, "But is Jesus still on His throne?" My response, "ABSOLUTELY!" Thanks! You really brought me back into perspective by reminding me that regardless of what is going on in my sad little life and of all the things that seem stressful to me, He is still a sovreign God who sits on His throne and is not surpirsed by anything that happens. In fact, He is using this time in my life to teach me so much about His character and to shape me into the woman He wants me to be. All that is happening in my life right now, it is for His glory and He has purposed it for that reason alone. Praise the Lord that He is so much bigger than my stress!

There are two sources that I have learned to cling to lately. The first is a verse found in a well-known worship song entitled Wonderful, Merciful Savior. The last verse of the song states...

Almighty, Infinite Father

Faithfully loving Your own

Here in our weakness You find us

Falling before Your throne.

WOW! That has been the story of my life as of late. I pray that I never leave the thone of Christ, weak or not. And the second source of strength as of late has been a verse in Paul's second letter to Timothy. Paul reminds Timothy that

"if we are faithless, He remains

faithful— for He cannot deny himself."

2 Timothy 2:13

Sometimes it's hard for me to understand and comprehend why God wouldn't just give up on me. I mean, I am not always faithful, and yet, He never gets aggravated and just quits! His love is steadfast and His mercy is renewed each morning. How great is our God! He is worthy of all the praise and glory! Thank you God for being patient with me in my weakness and still putting up with me. Help me to rely on You in my stressful times and never forget to lift all the glory to You. God is so good........ :)