Overwhelmed or Overcoming? The Danger of Focusing on the Mess from Generation Cedar
It seems almost fashionable for women in the internet world to emphasize, even glorify weaknesses and frailty. We are, after all, weak and frail. And to hide that fact, especially as we try to paint a picture of our lives in this online community, would be lying as well as discouraging to others who often feel they are just keeping their heads above the water.
I want to be transparent. But I’ve discovered a danger in too much dwelling on our failures.
As Megan Hill put it:
“…all stories, including self-deprecating humor and amusing little blog anecdotes, have theological implications. As Christians, our current obsession with brokenness may have us getting a little too comfortable with a life defined by often-petty imperfections.” The Very Worst Trend Ever
I can easily talk myself into being overwhelmed instead of an overcomer in the strength and power of God. And if I glorify my weakness (we only glory in our weakness because His strength is made perfect there) I can become lazy, misusing God’s grace to prevent me from embracing the transforming power of the gospel. I can fall into a “defeatism that may bleed into spiritual laxness.”
We have been saved not only from something, but to something. We weren’t meant to be stagnant, flailing Christians, barely scraping by in a day. There is not only nothing wrong with improvement, it is biblical.
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5
The more I dwell on my weakness, how I fall short, don’t measure up, the more I believe it, and live it. It’s the subtle but enormous power of suggestion.
Is this biblical thinking? What is our right response to a flesh that fails when we serve a God who doesn’t?
Gently, my Heavenly Father has really been speaking to me about this. One line from Proverbs 31 shouts at me: “Strength and dignity are her clothing.” I have to keep taking my eyes off my limitations and remember He isn’t limited. I have to remember that He has always delighted to use, not strong people, but empty people through which His strength can be demonstrated.
I never knew how much the tornado would change my life. Of course there was the physical devastation of it all, but truly I was not prepared for the emotional crisis it would sling me into, nor how long it would last. And in the middle of that, I began to feel like my weakness owned me, defined me and it was terrifying at times to think it would dominate me forever.
I wrote When Motherhood Feels Too Hard in the middle of that, but I’m so thankful He used that project to rally within me a fighting spirit. It’s true that often we find ourselves desperately alone, scared or just exhausted, but He doesn’t leave us there. In the midst of life we have the choice to persevere and the Source to do it.
I need to live like a child of the King, fully equipped for good works, not given to defeat or despair, because ultimately, I am indwelt by the spirit of the Almighty, and I. can. do. this.
I need to be talking to myself differently–that’s the “being clothed in strength and dignity.” Pondering the promises of “rising up as eagles” and “more than conquerors” equips me and grows me.
It doesn’t change the hard days or make me a superwoman. But it helps me keep the right perspective. We are walking in the same flesh as Abraham, Moses, Paul and Peter did. He gave them grace for their journey and He gives it to us too. God has given you a task, and He is faithful who called you.
http://generationcedar.com/main/2013/08/overwhelmed-or-overcoming-the-danger-of-focusing-on-the-mess.html?fbclid=IwAR1o0WveRB9hiWQWymw2fxCCAWvObZ8ZwJd9O82mWUxw1erYa5gust13WLw
