By Jonah Braelyn
Today we welcome Jonah Braelyn from Blonde Girl Writing! Jonah is an aspiring teen author and is currently in the midst of draft one of her novel. She has come today with an encouraging article on God’s grace. Thank you, Jonah!
Strength is something we all want to have. We want to do things on our own, not to have to rely on anyone else, and to be our own person.
But sometimes life ends up being too much for us. Things happen, life changes, friends come and go. For whatever reason, we all hit a point where we feel that we cannot go on.
So today I want to talk to you about how we can be strong in our weakness—by relying on God.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT), it says:
“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. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
In these verses, Paul is talking about how, even in his weakness, God’s grace is enough for him. According to the Bible, Paul had a torment that constantly bothered him. He asked and asked and asked for God to take it away, but instead, God said that His grace was all Paul needed.
The same is true for you. Even when you feel tormented, bothered, or alone, you can know that God hasn’t abandoned you. His grace is sufficient for you; it works best when you rely completely on Him.
But how can you give up control to God, when all you want to do is hold tightly to what you’re losing? You trust that He has good plans for you, and you set your sights on things above.
I’m sure you’ve heard or read this verse before. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT):
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”
This is God speaking a prophecy through Jeremiah to the Israeli exiles in Babylon. And yet, His words are still true to this day. God has good plans for every one of His people.
Let’s also take a look at Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT):
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
In these verses, Paul is encouraging the believers in Coloss—and us—to not worry about our previous sins, what tomorrow might bring, or what anyone thinks of us. He’s saying we should care more about what God says, has in store, and thinks about us.
So, when you find yourself in a situation where your own strength has failed you, think back to what the Bible says. God’s grace is all you need in your weakness, He has good plans for you, and focusing on things of heaven instead of earthly things will help you give your problems to God.
God is all you need, friends. I hope this has encouraged you.
Post a Comment