Cling to Christ

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. – (1 Timothy 1:19, NLT)

Continue to trust in God and do what you know is right. Some people have not done this, and their faith is now in ruins. – (1 Timothy 1:19, ERV)

Cling tightly to your faith in Christ and always keep your conscience clear, doing what you know is right. For some people have disobeyed their consciences and have deliberately done what they knew was wrong. It isn’t surprising that soon they lost their faith in Christ after defying God like that. – (1 Timothy 1:19, TLB)

 

To cling tightly to our faith in Christ, we must walk in His way and do His will. This is made possible through trust and keeping our own conscience clear. One of the greatest obstacles to doing right is the tendency to hold onto unforgiveness. If we do not forgive others, God does not forgive us. When we harbor bitterness toward others, there is no love to give. Our charge is to release offenses to Him and choose to forgive. That does not mean that we neglect nor ignore harm, but rather allow vindication to be His. When there is a grievance that demands intervention – be it the law, a pastor, a leader, parent or person who can intervene, then we ought to access the appropriate channels to allow the authority over them to determine what is just. For us, we need to seek the Lord to reach a space where we release the wrong and pray for their ultimate good. With offenses, much of the time there is no intent to cause harm. Rather, it is the “offender” caught up in their own “stuff”, completely unaware that they have caused some sort of turmoil in the recipient. A great way to combat being easily offended is to assume positive intent. Often a mere glimpse of what is going on leads to ugly assumptions, rather than recognition that there is far more to the story, and nothing that is done in our direction is intended for harm.  May we be unoffendable with the small stuff, and quick to seek understanding when it is something that we struggle to release. Let us depend on the Lord for wisdom and strength so that we forgive as we have been forgiven.

 

Let us above all, 

Cling to Christ, our Lord;

Trust in His wisdom,

And grace He affords.

For we are each called,

To love and forgive;

Depend on the Lord,

And strength that He gives.

Just as we forgive,

God will forgive us;

Let’s lavish with grace,

Granted by Jesus.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to cling to You and Your word. Thank You that You will lead us and guide us in all things, if only we willingly seek You. Thank You that You call us to keep short accounts, as releasing offenses prevents barriers from being built – both in our heart and between us and others. Forgive us for the times that we have not clung to our faith and have allowed the words or actions of others to offend us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would assume positive intent when it is small, and wisdom to know what do when it is something that causes harm. Show us how to love and forgive those around us, so that they too may come to understand Your glorious grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we cling to our faith and keep our conscience clear by coming before You with all things first. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

I desire to do Your will, my God; Your law is within my heart. – Psalm 40:8

When Weakness is Strength

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. – (2 Corinthians 12:10)

 

Considering Paul’s experiences, he had plenty of practice in each of the above-mentioned trials. Paul had been ship-wrecked, stoned, beaten, slandered, suffered some sort of ongoing ailment, and had the constant concern of the development of the young church to contend with. Despite all of these things, Paul chose to delight in his struggles, for in them, he was drawn closer and more dependant on Christ. In fact, it was in the spaces that were likely perceived as weaknesses, that Christ spoke the most mightily through Paul.

 

Though I do not necessarily delight in my struggles, I am grateful that Christ is the One to whom I can cling. In the midst of suffering, He is my comfort. When I feel as though I do not have the strength to move forward, He provides the strength necessary to keep taking each next step. As I trust, I am constantly in awe at what He does through seemingly small steps of obedience. Christ takes our weakness, and shows His strength in ways that we never could. May our hearts hold fast to He who is our strength, and may we be thankful for new opportunities to depend on Him alone.

 

To delight in trials,

in hardships and such;

to embrace our weakness,

appears crazy stuff.

Yet when we are weakest,

Christ will be our strength;

we allow Him the space,

to go to great lengths.

So seek not our own strength,

but rather trust His;

all things are possible,

when Christ handles this.

Lord, teach us to delight,

in spaces we’re weak;

for those are the places,

You most clearly speak.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we are weak, You are strong. Thank You that we need not worry what comes against us, as You are for us and are our strength. Forgive us for our fears and doubts when trials come, and teach us to cling to You in faith. Teach us to trust You as Paul did, so that we may delight even in our struggles, as they are opportunities for Your strength to shine. Let Your faithfulness be evident as we love others through the strength that You provide. May many come to know the saving power that is present through knowing You as our Savior and King. Be glorified, Lord God, as we delight in the spaces where Your strength is made most evident. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6