My Grace is Sufficient for Thee

This demolition mess reminded me of something very important. Notice what stands tall among the debris? It looks like a cross, standing strong in the midst of madness.

I often hit an emotional low when we move to a new place. It confuses me, when there are too many people around I want to run home, wrap myself in a blanket and just feel safe. The opposite happens when I am alone in a new place, my memories come rushing in and I so start missing my friends and family. This can be a time of great struggle. I hate to exercise, but force myself to do it and beat myself up when I don't. There are so many things I can convince myself that I am lacking..physically, spiritually, materiality...the list is a long one. I share this to lead into the thoughts that have been pressing so heavy on my heart these past weeks.

Sitting in front of the television, not interested in anything..even appalled at much of what I see, my thoughts took me to what was happening outside the walls of my apartment. It was late and I knew the PAD was camping out at the government offices they overtook earlier in the day. I started wondering what was going through their minds, knowing the police were going to forcibly remove them in the morning. I started thinking about their fatigue, their passion...no matter if it is right or wrong...the things that wore them down, that drove them, that raged through their minds. This brought me to thoughts of the people, the children living on the streets...I started wondering what was running through their mind.

So many people groups came to mind...thinking of the millions who were vegging out on mindless TV shows, those resting in a comfortable bed...those like me, sitting in a comfortable apartment while people right around the corner didn't have a shelter over their heads from the heavy rains during monsoon season.

Back to the point in sharing this. It is so easy to become self focused, forgetting how truly blessed we are. We all have struggles, terrible at times....but there is so much more to life than sulking and self pity. Our situations could be so much worse. This got me to praying that I would be shaken more about the things I see and hear in the world around me. That I wouldn't look the other way and that God would show me how to and when to act. Sitting in comfort and self preservation just can't be the reason we exist on this planet.

I listened to a teaching by Ravi Zacharias today. He shared a few encouraging writings that say it so much better...and as always, I have to share them with you all.

Make Me Thy Fuel

From prayer that asks that I may be

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire,

From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain, free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,

From easy choices, weakenings,

(Not thus are spirits fortified,

Not this way went the crucified)

From all that dims Thy Calvary,

O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay,

The hope no disappointments tire,

The passion that will burn like fire;

Let me not sink to be a clod:

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

~Amy Carmichael

He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;

To added affliction He addeth His mercy;

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,

Our God ever yearns His resources to share;

Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;

The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limit; His grace has no measure.

His pow'r has no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

~Annie Johnson Flint

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2Corinthians 12:9