weakness

Excuses

“I answered, ‘Oh, Sovereign Lord, Really I do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.’ The Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am too young.” But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,’ says the Lord.” –Jeremiah 1:6-8

What does the LORD say to Moses when he tries to back out of God’s calling with the same excuse of being “slow of speech”? “Who gave a mouth to man, or who makes a person mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? So now go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you must say,” (Exo 4:11-12).

The LORD is our Creator. He knows us intimately better than we know ourselves (Mat 10:30). So why would we ever use our weaknesses as if that were a factor in limiting God in His works? If we do so, we are admitting our weak faith and demonstrating a prideful confidence in our own strength and not a humble confidence in His.

And as for the excuse of age before men, “Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity,” (1Ti 4:12). It matters not our status before men, but simply our faithful obedient walk before our Heavenly Father. So do not fear men, but God alone (Mat 10:28); and live not to please men, but seek to be a slave to Christ (Gal 1:10; Eph 6:6), living only to do the will of The Father (Luke 22:42; John 5:19).

Go as He has directed, and begin to see His gracious hand granting you immense favor and faith (Psa 84:11; 1Pe 1:3-6) as He fills your heart with the joy of His calling and presence (1Ch 16:27; Psa 16:11).

Billy Neal

The Gift of the Thorn

⁷So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹But 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. ¹⁰For 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 12:7-10 ESV

Paul remembers a very special time where he was shown an indescribable event. So that he would not become arrogant in the matter, the Lord allowed what Paul called a “thorn in his flesh”. Three times he asked for its removal and each time he was denied, with the reply, “My grace is enough for you, my power is made perfect in weakness”. Paul now boasts of his weakness, bearing the insults, troubles, and difficulties for the sake of Christ. Where Paul, myself, and you sir, are weak, He is strong.

The thorn story is familiar. We know about the thorn, but we don’t give thought to why. As young men we exercise to become strong. We fill our minds with information so that we can navigate life. Essentially, we are building our self-sufficiency. Here, the Lord makes it clear, -I AM- your strength. We strengthen and train and learn our way into a place where we feel comfortable “serving God” as if God needs our talents and qualities to accomplish His work. The truth is, our strength and intellect more often become stumbling blocks. We justify all our “growth” hoping it makes us more usable, in reality, Father would give us what we need in the hour we need it, if we humbled ourselves, trusted Him, and could submit to His Lordship enough to obey when He says…. fill in the blank yourself. Strength and wisdom are good, but obedience is closer to the Father’s heart.

Move forward men, humbling ourselves so that the Lord may lift us up. Prepare yourself to move beyond what you can do. It was not in Moses power to lift a sea, it wasn’t in David’s power to defeat the giant, it wasn’t Israel’s power that leveled Jericho. How much do you want to be a part of? Are you willing to be small so that He can do something big? Humble yourself, submit to His Lordship, and obey when He speaks.

Vance Durrance