You never know when inspiration is going to hit, but when it does, it compels you to spread the joy.
I just had a moment like that earlier today. I was perusing a new book that I'd recently received entitled, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front. One of the co-authors of the book, Karen Whiting is set to be interviewed next week on the radio show that I produce, and I was fishing for some good points of interest to scatter throughout the conversation.
It wasn't long before I came across an account by a military wife, whose story is shared in a section called Embracing Weakness. Now since I'm such a cheerleader for conquering and overcoming, this naturally caught my eye. In just a few short paragraphs she totally changed my perspective about the role weakness plays in our lives.
As she recalls the time she came down with a nasty case of bronchitis right after her husband was deployed to Iraq, she shares how frustrated she was about having to depend on others to help her take care of her children and her household. She felt, like so many of us do, that she was too strong to be allowing this to get her down. After all, it was only bronchitis, right? Here's what she said about finding her answer in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
"God's power being made perfect in me, yes, I was all over that. But being weak? Everything in my body cried out against that. I wanted to conquer the challenges of deployment, not admit that I was weak."
Pow! Right in the kisser of my own superwoman syndrome. Did you feel that?
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
That should be a comforting statement. But not for those of us who refuse to let anything get us down. We feel compelled to keep moving forward as if we have hearts and brains made of impenetrable steel. We don't want to let anything reduce us to showing how helpless, lost, or afraid we really are. Oh no. Never!
Weakness is not something we modern women are encouraged to embrace. We're supposed to be singing "I'm Every Woman, It's All in Me!" as we shop for groceries, take the car for an oil change, make cupcakes for the PTO bake sale, balance the checkbook, workout for an hour at the gym, and prepare a stellar presentation for that important meeting next week. Whew! I'm pooped just thinking about it!
In reality, God has been telling us all along that He not only has no problem with us not being on top of things all the time, He actually EXPECTS it. As the military wife went on to learn, this is when His power becomes most prominent in our lives. How else would we really be able to acknowledge Him as the higher power if we didn't have opportunities to personally bear witness to His ability to do what we cannot do for ourselves. Not to mention, as we do this, miraculously the pressure of taming every aspect of our lives eases up, and we get to enjoy the benefits of His love and grace in countless, unimaginable ways.
Who would ever think that you could find wonder in weakness? Before today I would have winced at the idea. But now, I have to admit, I'm changing my tune.
