“We’re like two big human crutches. There ya go- just keep walking.”
“So, you said she had hip surgery?”
“Yeah. She had hip replacement surgery. Thanks so much for helping. You’re a God-send.”
I saw Brittany when I was pulling into the dorm parking lot. Her friend was trying to stand her up, but she just kept falling over. Her crutches were lying on the ground.
I got out of my car, grabbed my stuff, contemplated what I should do, and heard her friend say, “Hey! Can you help us?”
“Sure, let me put my stuff down. Does she have a key?”
“Yeah, she lives here.”
The stench of her breath alone was enough to tell the story. “I just wanted to be social,” she said.
“Be quiet. And just keep walking,” her friend said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Funny how God works, isn’t it? He knew I would be pulling in the parking lot at that exact time to see those two girls try to maneuver their way into the dorms- one sober, one wasted.
Brittany’s arm wrapped tightly around my neck. “Thank you so much for helping me. I’m so sorry. I just wanted to be social.”
Brittany wasn’t the only one like that tonight. No- there were others, countless others- who stumbled in parking lots and slurred their words until they could no longer speak. They spent time over toilets and sending texts to strangers. They found five minutes of satisfaction followed by a night of misery. They discovered false happiness when all they were searching for was true joy.
And it breaks my heart.
Brittany’s sentence sums it up perfectly. “I just wanted to be social.”
How many more Brittany’s are there? How many more people just want to interact with others and feel something- anything- that makes them feel?
And, I know Brittany will wake up tomorrow with a major headache and a list of regrets. I’ll pass her on campus in a few days, and she’ll have no idea who I am.
Yet, I feel that I know the deepest part of her- the part that’s screaming for an escape, the part of everyone that says, “There’s gotta be something more.”
Being a crutch is hard because your job is to support, not correct. Therapy and doctors correct the damaged hip. The crutches just aid in the process.
My words wouldn’t heal a drunken girl’s heart. My thoughts wouldn’t even make sense. I have to trust the Doctor- that through “prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ,” (Phil. 1:19) Brittany will be delivered.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Eph. 6:12-13
Jan 29, 2011
Jan 17, 2011
I May Be Weak
The first time I heard this song was at a Christmas concert. I couldn’t get the bridge out of my head…
“I may be weak,
But Your Spirit’s strong in me,
My flesh may fail,
My God, You never will.”
I felt like I could sing that for days and not get tired of it. I still feel like that. Music always brings me to a thinking place. I love that about a good song. The lyrics can be as simple as day, but it makes me stop and ponder what I’m really singing (or attempting to sing, in my case ; ).
If there is anything I’ve realized these past few months, it is the fact that I am so, so weak. I get tired if I have too much to do. My body feels exhausted after a week full speed. If I don’t eat, I get lightheaded. If I don’t sleep, I can’t function. The limitations are…well, limitless. A thousand times over, I could explain my weakness as a human being, but that does you no good.
Sure, you can identify with feeling weak (well, you guys may have a harder time…just kidding!). But, why is it important that you understand? Only when we recognize our frailty can we submit to God for true strength.
To ask God for strength when you believe you can do life on your own is pointless. That’s like a millionaire asking for money. We ask for strength because we know that without Him, we’re bankrupt. Empty. Zero.
So, in my weakness, He is Strength.
And in my failure, He is Victorious.
Isn’t that a crazy thought? I mean, I can fail time and time and time again- even at the same thing- but God NEVER fails. EVER. EVER! Do you hear what I’m saying, people?! We commune with an incredible God, who fights our battles for us. But just like acknowledging we need His strength, we must be willing to give up the battles. We can’t go in with our own plan, explaining to God the tactics that will work best.
You might be laughing, but isn’t it true? How many times do we find ourselves rationalizing what we are doing and explaining to God why our way is better? And each time we do, we fail. Because we serve a God that conquers, because He’s wise. He knows that only by His victory will we ever be satisfied.
It’s almost like we’re fighting against our own team. Imagine a football team that scores a touchdown for the other team. Or, men in war killing their own men. That doesn’t make sense. Can I remind you of something? GOD IS FOR US. He’s the only One there for us 100% of the time with more love and power than we can imagine. So, why- and maybe it’s just me- why, do we squirm and fight against what He’s trying to produce in and through us sometimes?
I know, I know. Pruning is painful. The things He asks us to sacrifice are the things we love. And if they aren’t, they wouldn’t be a sacrifice would they?
Oh, but we miss the second part of the story. We focus so much on what God is calling us to do/say/be/give/give up that we forget the blessing that stems from obedience to His gentle voice.
“I need You to soften my heart,
And break me apart,
I need You to open my eyes,
To see that You’re shaping my life.
All I am, I surrender.
Give me faith to trust what You say,
That You’re good, and Your love is great,
I’m broken inside, I give You my life.”
(Give Me Faith, Elevation Worship)
What an incredible weekend this has been. Not because I did anything super special, but because it was soaked with the presence of God.
There’s nothing and no one like Him.
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon the earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
“I may be weak,
But Your Spirit’s strong in me,
My flesh may fail,
My God, You never will.”
I felt like I could sing that for days and not get tired of it. I still feel like that. Music always brings me to a thinking place. I love that about a good song. The lyrics can be as simple as day, but it makes me stop and ponder what I’m really singing (or attempting to sing, in my case ; ).
If there is anything I’ve realized these past few months, it is the fact that I am so, so weak. I get tired if I have too much to do. My body feels exhausted after a week full speed. If I don’t eat, I get lightheaded. If I don’t sleep, I can’t function. The limitations are…well, limitless. A thousand times over, I could explain my weakness as a human being, but that does you no good.
Sure, you can identify with feeling weak (well, you guys may have a harder time…just kidding!). But, why is it important that you understand? Only when we recognize our frailty can we submit to God for true strength.
To ask God for strength when you believe you can do life on your own is pointless. That’s like a millionaire asking for money. We ask for strength because we know that without Him, we’re bankrupt. Empty. Zero.
So, in my weakness, He is Strength.
And in my failure, He is Victorious.
Isn’t that a crazy thought? I mean, I can fail time and time and time again- even at the same thing- but God NEVER fails. EVER. EVER! Do you hear what I’m saying, people?! We commune with an incredible God, who fights our battles for us. But just like acknowledging we need His strength, we must be willing to give up the battles. We can’t go in with our own plan, explaining to God the tactics that will work best.
You might be laughing, but isn’t it true? How many times do we find ourselves rationalizing what we are doing and explaining to God why our way is better? And each time we do, we fail. Because we serve a God that conquers, because He’s wise. He knows that only by His victory will we ever be satisfied.
It’s almost like we’re fighting against our own team. Imagine a football team that scores a touchdown for the other team. Or, men in war killing their own men. That doesn’t make sense. Can I remind you of something? GOD IS FOR US. He’s the only One there for us 100% of the time with more love and power than we can imagine. So, why- and maybe it’s just me- why, do we squirm and fight against what He’s trying to produce in and through us sometimes?
I know, I know. Pruning is painful. The things He asks us to sacrifice are the things we love. And if they aren’t, they wouldn’t be a sacrifice would they?
Oh, but we miss the second part of the story. We focus so much on what God is calling us to do/say/be/give/give up that we forget the blessing that stems from obedience to His gentle voice.
“I need You to soften my heart,
And break me apart,
I need You to open my eyes,
To see that You’re shaping my life.
All I am, I surrender.
Give me faith to trust what You say,
That You’re good, and Your love is great,
I’m broken inside, I give You my life.”
(Give Me Faith, Elevation Worship)
What an incredible weekend this has been. Not because I did anything super special, but because it was soaked with the presence of God.
There’s nothing and no one like Him.
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon the earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)