Strength in Weakness

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook and blogging.  I love that technology makes it possible for me to keep in touch with friends who live all over the world. But I hate the way it makes my heart discontent.  I read about a friend who has 3 preschool age kids, makes her own diapers, gets up at 5 am to prepare dinner, and then spends the day working out, running errands, and having play dates with her friends' and their kids. Or a friend who has her fourth child and is up and at em the next day talking to all her friends on Facebook about how wonderful life is being a family of 6.  Or a friend who lives overseas, homeschools her kids, ministers to hurting women, and is in the process of adopting a national baby.  It seems my friends are doing many things that I will most likely never experience while I struggle to just get supper on the table.

I can make excuses, but it boils down to discontentment.  Instead of finding my peace and hope in God I look to the world's expectations of who I should be and what I am "missing out" on.

The apostle Paul was a man who knew sorrow... 

"Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.  Three times I was beaten with rods.  Once I was stoned.  Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in  cold and exposure." 2 Corinthians 11:25-27

and if that isn't enough to persuade you...


"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" 2 Corinthians 12:7-9a

Yet Paul was content.


"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13

Those are strong statements! Can you imagine being able to say that you have learned to be content in whatever situation you are in?  To be content in weakness, not wanting to life to be better or easier? As hard as it may be, that is my desire - to believe that God's grace is sufficient for me in any and every circumstance. In my weakness He is made strong. That's what I must be striving for more than all the desirable things I read about on my friends' blogs; that God be glorified in and through my life!