“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.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT)
Do you realize there’s a sense in which the stronger, more capable you are as a child of God, the less credibility you have. Why is that? Because our tendency is, the greater measure of ability the Lord gives us, the lesser degree of dependence we often have on Him. If there’s a thread of confidence in ourselves, we risk forfeiting dependence upon the Lord.
That’s one of the reasons discipline is so vital in our walk with the Lord. And here’s the irony: the greater the measure of confidence we have in ourselves, the lesser measure of contentment we’ll have in our walk with the Lord. Why is that?
Largely because our relationship is too often built on performance. To the extent we feel we’re performing well for God, the less dependence we have upon His Spirit, thus denying Him the glory which is His due. When we’re so busy magnifying ourselves, we have little left with which to magnify Him. Is this honoring to the Savior? Of course not, and that’s exactly what robs us of contentment in our walk with Him.
We may be very content in our own ability, but therein lies the problem. Our strength and fortress is the Lord’s presence with us. I believe that’s one of the reasons the Lord sent the twelve out with nothing but a walking stick (Mark 6:8). Contentment grows out of a secure relationship that’s based not on our adequacy but His.
Do you remember how fired up the Disciples were when they returned? Their joy flowed out of His adequacy, not theirs; out of His power to heal the sick and cast out demons, not theirs. It’s no different today. We love, serve, grow, lead – whatever we do, out of the overflow of His goodness, kindness, and grace. My contentment, and yours, must grow out of the depth and breadth of our relationship with our Master.
When I was in youth ministry, I set up chairs, tables, anything I could find to create an obstacle course across a large room. Then I asked for a volunteer to navigate the room – in the dark and with a blindfold on. I would be their guide; all they had to do was listen carefully to my voice. The plot thickens because all the other kids would be screaming directions to them at the same time. The volunteer was ultimately able to make it across the room because I stayed close to them and made sure my voice was clear and loud enough for them to follow.
It’s not unlike that in the world in which we now live. The “voices” of the world are loud and distracting for anyone who is seeking to hear the voice of their Lord. We can allow our spirit to be in a constant state of discontent, confusion, and frustration, or, by God’s grace and with His guiding presence to help us, we can navigate the pathways of this earth triumphantly as we learn to discern His clear, calm voice in the midst of the storms of life.
Are you content in this season of your life? My contentment in Jesus is growing the closer I get to Him. Jesus said: “My sheep listen to My voice: I know them and they follow Me.” Intimacy yields clarity to His voice and closeness to His side.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 