The power of James 5:16

I have always avoided the appearance of weakness.  I never wanted to be the woman who screamed when seeing a bug.  (Although I will confess to screaming at a big cockroach that almost touched me once).  Squealing is not in my vocabulary.  Dramatic over-reaction - no way.  Falling apart emotionally was for others.

Instead, I've prided myself (note that word, please) on being the strong one.  On being the cool head in the crowd, the get-it-done girl, the one you could count on.

Then a breast lump scare took me down into a tailspin of fear.  For two weeks fear had me in a vice grip.  I couldn't eat.  Couldn't sleep.  Actually physically shook at times with the fear. It was not normal fear - in fact, I know now that it was a spiritual attack.  And I didn't tell anyone - I was too embarrassed.

Through a dream God revealed the way out of that fear - and it was found in the words of James 5:16:

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

At first I resisted that verse, thinking "my fear isn't sin."  Then I understood that the "sin" was my pride.  My pride kept me from telling anyone the depth of my fear. My pride maintained the appearance that I had it all together. I was a small group leader ... what would they think of me if they knew how afraid she was?  Would it ruin my leadership?

Through confessing the depth of my fear, God healed me of it.  And very possibly healed me physically as well - I'll never know since the tests results were all normal.

And my leadership ... it only strengthened. I've been able to minister to many more women through that experience than ever. It was another of Satan's lies to get me to keep quiet about my struggle and to keep me from experiencing God's miraculous power.

Paul said this:  "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." (Acts 20:24)

And this, "But 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." (2 Cor. 12:9)


While I still don't scream at bugs, I'm learning that God's power is increasingly manifested in my life when I admit my weaknesses - not just to myself and Him - but to others.  It doesn't make sense to this in-control girl, but I've seen God work miracles in me when I boldly live according to His Word - and trust Him with my reputation and ministry.  It happened this week in fact.

So thank you for your prayers .  Thank you for your outpouring of encouragement these past two days.  I've actually experienced some miraculous relief from some symptoms of stress I was having.  I'm experiencing God's peace.  As I've desperately prayed to NOT respond out of my own emotion and disobey - God has calmed me emotionally so I can think with His wisdom and clarity.

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  For being sisters in Christ who stepped up next to me in a very weak moment, for speaking words of truth, for not judging me, for praying the prayers of a righteous woman.

And thank you for praying for my daughter.  I'm confident God has a mighty plan and purpose for her life.  I know she will have a great testimony one day.  One day, she will understand the impact of a mighty band of praying women.

Love,
Glynnis

When Doubt Speaks Your Language (and a winner)

My post on Tuesday, and the accompanying devotion on Crosswalk and Proverbs 31, stirred up some great conversation.  Most of it about faith. 

Basically people are asking the same questions that I've asked myself: How do I fully trust God to protect me (or my loved ones) when bad things happen every day? Why bother to pray when my friend may not be healed?

I want to share something I learned years ago about the world we live in.  There is an ebb and flow of the power of God here on earth.  This is because although Jesus brought the Kingdom of God to earth, it is not here in full. One day it will be.  But not yet.  Jesus experienced limitations Himself.  Mark 6:5 

My point is, one day we will experience the fullness of God's power.  For now, we enjoy a measure of it. 

This is where faith comes in.  We don't control God's power.  So we need to believe, really believe, that we can experience it for ourselves.  The Bible is clear that God works miracles in conjunction with our faith.  Not always.  But it's often a part.  

Fear and doubt keep us from fully embracing a life of faith.  The "what ifs?" steal our joy.  The "buts" take away our hope. 

I read this amazing passage in 2 Chronicles 32:18-19 that identified a reason we doubt.  Doubt is like an enemy who sneaks into our heart and whispers lies.  Doubt speaks the language of our hearts, and buries itself in deep.  Read what happened to the people of God.

In this chapter, King Hezekiah is defending Jerusalem from attack by the Assyrians. The king of Assyria is relentless in trying to weaken the defenses of God's people.  He trash talks God multiple many times, and tries to puts questions into the minds of the people about God's ability to protect them.  Then, he did something very interesting.  Read verses 18-19:

"Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands."

The king spoke the language of the people in order to terrify them.  You've got to read how Hezekiah encouraged everyone.  It's worth writing it out on a note card until you've got it memorized.  Read here.

Doubt speaks our language.  If you've ever had a child get sick, really sick, you will doubt God's ability to heal.  If you've lost a loved one in an accident, you will doubt God's ability to protect.  If you've been rejected or betrayed, you will doubt God's faithfulness.

I've lost a cousin to breast cancer, and Satan tries to get me to believe I'll get it too.  My niece was killed in a drunk driving accident, Satan wants me to believe my children will die too.  But those are just lies to get me to doubt God's power and weaken my faith.  God is powerful enough to heal and protect. He's proven it multiple times.  And I don't want to miss the flow of that power by my doubting. 

I'm done listening to Satan's lies.  I'm seeing them for what they are.  Doubt speaking my language. The next time the evil one tries to put those lies in my head, he's getting the "what for"!

Now on to a winner from my little giveaway contest on Tuesday.  Using http://www.random.org/, Kristi who posted at 5:17 a.m., is the winner of a book, Starbucks card and note pad.  Kristi, I couldn't find your contact information so please email me at editor@proverbs31.org. 

In His Love,

Glynnis

The purpose of some thorns

Have you read the passage lately in 2 Corinthians 12 where Paul talks about the purpose for his "thorn"? If not, keep reading, I've included some below.

No one is quite sure what Paul's thorn was.  Some say it had to have been a physical malady.  Other's insist it was one or more people.  Some say it was a temptation.  Whatever it was, it didn't go away, despite desperate prayers on Paul's part.

Yet in spite of this thing that gave Paul such frustration, he followed his Jesus and pursued his calling with abandon.  He didn't make excuses.  We don't read of him saying, "If only I didn't have to deal with (blank), then I could really move forward."  Or, "Sorry I didn't get (blank) done, it's that (blank) God sent to frustrate me."

Instead, Paul lived a life of passion grounded in the reality of his life.  Instead of grumbling and complaining, he demonstrated for us how to see benefit in the thorns in our lives that aren't going away.  Here's how Paul saw his thorn:

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (v. 7b-10)

I know lots of Christians see themselves in the Apostle Peter.  They connect with the well-meaning, passionate man who boasted loudly and fell just as publicly.  I see myself in Paul.  Not in any way in his brilliance or influence.  Not at all like that - but in his weakness. Paul was a very proud and confident man.  He was sure of himself.  Yet, in order to use Paul most effectively, God struck Paul down.  First with blindness (which God restored), then with this thorn.  Through hardship, God kept this once overly-proud man humble. 

It was only in Paul openly admitting he had thorns, that  God able to shine through him.  Paul's life proved that God's grace was sufficient.

Today I'm writing these words for me.  I've got a thorn that isn't going away any time soon.  It reveals the worst in me, but not to the world.  It's also bringing out the best in me at times.  It's something that I know God gave me.  And He didn't do it to punish me (although that thought crosses my mind in my weakest moments).  I know that's not the truth.

He gave me this thorn for a purpose.  Actually multiple purposes.  Some I've yet to see.  I know I'm supposed to move forward by accepting this thorn is a part of my life - not pretending that it isn't. 

So I'm holding on to the promise of the thorn:  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

In my fairy tale dreams, I have the perfect life.  Yet God doesn't work through fairy tales.  He doesn't even seem to work through "perfect" people.  He seems to love taking broken, hurting people - bring them some healing - then set them on a path to obedience.  He works in the nitty-gritty of life ... in the midst of physical pain, handicaps, addictions, mistakes and emotional pain.  He loves it when people are honest about their weaknesses, but give Him the glory for every good thing.

Yes, I'm more like Paul.  I get it when he said, "in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh ..."  

Today I'm looking for purpose in my thorns.  They stick me sometimes, and cause pain.  But they have a purpose.

Question:  How have you seen God work through thorns in your life?

In His Love,
Glynnis

P.S.  Check back tomorrow.  I've got a devotion running on loving well, and I'll share some experiences God has brought through loving difficult people.

Does your head still tilt to the left?

Every morning I drive my sons Dylan and Robbie to high school at the same time on the same roads.  For over two years, we've seen a young man walking on one stretch of that same trail.  He's tall and thin, with long straight hair.

Two years ago, I noticed he tilted his head to the left as he walked, so that his long bangs would fall out of his face.  Every day I grinned and often said to my boys, "One day his head is going to be permanently tilted to the left because of that habit!"

Kind of like when my mom would tell me I better change my sassy face before a cold freeze came through and it was permanently frozen in whatever pouting or disagreeable position it was in.  Since I grew up in Phoenix, even as a child I was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen.

My mom also had another saying, "It won't be noticed on a galloping horse!"  Never missing a beat, I would declare:  "But I won't be on a galloping horse!"    My poor mom.  She was a saint.

This morning, driving my sons to school, I saw that same young man.  It had been a few months since we'd seen him.  Maybe as a junior, he's driving.  Interestingly, he doesn't have bangs any more.  And yet ...

His head is still tilted to the left!

I nearly shouted at poor Robbie sitting next to me when I saw it!
Of course there was the motherly satisfaction of being right (unless that poor boy has a neck condition, and if so, I'll feel horrible), but God also showed me a spiritual lesson.  Sometimes, even when we've received healing for past emotional wounds and even when we know the truth - about ourselves and God - old habits still hang on. 

Do you ever get frustrated with yourself?  I do.  Old patterns of thought or behavior still pop up in many of us like ...

 ...  they must be rejecting me if they disagree ...
...   I won't be considered for the position, so why even apply ...
...   they don't really want me to come, they're lying ...
...   I'll never be a good enough __________ (fill in the blank ... mine would be writer, singer, exerciser)
...   I'll never lose this weight, so I'll just eat that brownie ...

Some of these patterns are just habits.  They aren't a sign of spiritual weakness, or God's inability to heal.  They are just bad habits.  It would be nice if we could just immediately jump to a lovely, wise thought instead of a negative one, but changing a bad habit takes two steps:  stopping the bad, then starting the good.

Years ago I had a planter's wart on the bottom of my foot. Based on its location, it couldn't be surgically removed because the healing and resulting scar would be just as problematic.  So the doctor treated it slowly.  For months I limped.  Finally, after multiple doctor's appointments over the course of about four months, it went away.  Do you know that I still limped?

I would catch myself limping, and make myself stop.  Then I had to intentionally step fully on my foot.  It took another few months to walk normally, even though the pain was gone.

Bad habits are hard to break.  I know.  This morning I'm reminded that God has healed me from many things, and I need to intentionally walk with confidence, not fear that it's going to hurt.

My question this morning is, does your head still tilt to the left? Has Jesus healed you but there is still a bad habit keeping you from walking in confidence? 

I'd like to pray for you today.

In His Love,
Glynnis