Overcoming ourselves

Thomas a' Kempis wrote in the 15th Century, “the hardest struggle is the struggle to overcome ourselves." I think that what he could have meant by this is that we are often our own worst enemy. We struggle with our faults, short-comings and sins, wondering if God could even love us. This can sometimes move us away from the embrace of our loving God. Thankfully we have Jesus who has paved the way for our salvation and he is the ultimate victor.  

What things in your life do you struggle with? 

Do you find that your mind plays tricks on you? Does your mind sometimes run away from you so that your biggest struggle is with yourself? If you can relate to this, then I pray that these scriptures help you today.

Jeremiah 1:19 - They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Mark 9:24 - Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Don't Quit

 

Edgar A. Guest says it best with the words of this powerful poem.  It is worth reading and putting somewhere close so you can read it again sometime in the future.

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low but the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit...
Rest if you must, but don't you quit!
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many failures turn about
When we might have won had we stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow...
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor’s cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out...
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

The following words from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of the Bible also make a lot of sense. "But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived." - Matthew 10:22-23 (The Message)

Living in Grace

D3LM3

 

God will lift your head

"Give to the winds thy fears; hope, and be undismayed; 

God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears;

God shall lift up thy head. 

Through waves and clouds and storms He gently clears the way. 

Wait thou His time, so shall the night soon end in joyous day." - Paul Gerhardt

 

German pastor Paul Gerhardt wrote these words after he and his family were forced to flee from their home during the 17th Century. His family were heartbroken by the events that had unfolded and Paul tried to hold things together. While alone, he felt as if he was also breaking inside and so he cried out to the Lord.  Writing his thoughts down, Paul's personal struggle was penned in the words of the hymn (above) and this has brought hope to many people down the ages.  

There are many powerful words in this verse, but the one that strikes me today is the phrase:

God will lift your head

May God help lift your head today and give you his peace.

Living in Grace

D3LM3