Sunday, July 17, 2011

Weekend Worship—Meditations from Ethiopia #4—The Power and Freedom of Weakness

But He said to me, "My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you." So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can live in me. II Corinthians 12:9 (NCV)

Ethiopia
God is still revealing the lessons behind what He showed me while I was in Ethiopia. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I have to admit I am. The majority of things He showed me weren't what I expected. Oh, I tried to go with an open mind—I even told several people I didn’t have any expectations. But, as always happens with my best intentions, preconceived notions had crept in unaware.

I had expected to be exhausted when I got home—a perfectly logical, harmless expectation that seemed to make perfect sense at the time. After all, working for God was hard and would take all my strength.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.  
  • What I found was that I wasn't working FOR God—He was working THROUGH me.
  • He hadn't sent me there to do something FOR Him. He had sent me there to do something IN me—and then to use it to touch others. 
  • I immediately realized that I couldn't accomplish a thing with all MY strength—but when I relied on GOD'S strength I saw miracles.

Ethiopia
These truths brought with them a time of refreshing and a miraculous freedom. A veritable flood of blessings in the dry, dusty continent of Africa. It was a freedom that could only come through total dependence. I had no control over where I stayed, what I ate, or even the work assigned to me.

And it was absolutely glorious. I experienced the truth that when I let go—then and only then—everything falls into place . . . and I pray I will never be the same.

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful picture of His power and love. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to see Ethiopia through your eyes.

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  2. Your heartfelt words reflect how deeply you've been changed by this experience in Ethiopia. Thank you for sharing, Edie.

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  3. Isn't it amazing how God surprises us when we set out to do something for Him? I love that He showed you things other than you'd expected. Thanks for sharing a bit of your experience in Ethiopia.

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  4. Edie you wrote some powerful doctrine there. God always works differently that we "humans" think, doesn't He?

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  5. And the cool thing is, how God affected you there in Africa is spilling out on those around you.

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  6. I love your stories of Ethopia! Keep them coming!!!!

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