gentle reminders

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience,
but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." 

-CS Lewis

do you all ever have moments when everything in your day/life/week just stops and you realize that you've been so blinded by your daily living for yourself that you've lost track of how hungry you are and how thankful you are for the Lord? that happened to me today. he never fails to bring me to my knees. 

i attended our summer fellowship/bible study for the first time this summer (missed the first 2). marshall is talking about suffering. whenever anyone talks on this subject i know i am going to be brought to my knees. 

marshall opened with a youtube video of a steve saint interview. if you've never heard the story, either go out and rent End of the Spear or go pick up a copy of Through Gates of Splendor (I have it if you want to borrow). it is an amazing story of sacrifice, suffering, and the fruit that came from it. i don't have time right now to go into it, but trust me on this one... look into it.

the quote that opens this post is one of the truest statements i've ever heard. when i heard it tonight, i had to hold back tears. the suffering that was discussed tonight isn't even a fraction of what i have experienced, but the bit i have experienced has taught me the truth of that quote. HE IS SUFFICIENT. if i've learned anything it is that He truly is ALL i need. 

i hate how easy that is to forget in our day to day comfortable living. suffering is probably one of the biggest blessings in our lives. i can't get over how selfish my living is when i'm not focused on Christ. sometimes hardship is the only way we look away from ourselves. i need more looking away from me. 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" 

-Jesus in response to Paul's pleading to take a torment away (2 Cor 12:8)

 

Jesus, open my eyes to my weakness. I want to daily know your sufficiency.