I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I was embarking on Proverbs 31’s online study, Made to Crave. Part of that desire to participate was because of my decision to train for my first half marathon. Two very sweet friends who have each already run a half marathon signed up to support and encourage me.
Throughout training thus far, I have experienced an internal struggle. Part of me screams, “What are you thinking? You can’t do this. You’re not a runner.” Yet another part feels conviction with every breathless step I take. The harder I breathe, the harder I want to try. I walk. I jog. I walk again. I close my eyes and pray, “Lord, please help me do this.“
It’s not easy. There are days I don’t want to train. There are days–many days–when that awful voice inside my head whispers how I will not be prepared and how I will only hold my friends back on race day. I feel weak. What a lie! My sweet friends have never offered me anything but encouragement, smiling and reciting the mantra, “No one gets left behind. Our goal is only to finish–together.“
This week’s verse couldn’t be more fitting. It comes from 2 Corinthians 12:9, and it says:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Friends, like so many women, I struggle with my image — especially my external self. As sure as I am that God created me out of love–just like He created you–I am not immune to images our society defines as beautiful. These insecurities are planted in our hearts and mind by the enemy to distract us from the One who loves us for simply being the person He created.
In this instance, my self doubt over my ability to finish this half marathon has completely encompassed by thoughts over the last couple weeks. Runs have been difficult. I cling to flimsy excuses to skip my run days. And this insane Texas weather doesn’t help. Why do I buy into the enemy’s lies? Why do any of us listen? Because we are afraid. We worry if we are equipped to accomplish the task at hand–to reach the dream laid before us.
Today’s blog post from Proverbs 31 flashed at me like a neon sign. It read:
“Lysa Terkeurst said, ‘When we chain our insecurities to our identity, we will have a hard time keeping our thoughts on Him.’
Challenges and hard places have the potential to wake us from our slumber and cause us to evaluate where we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re headed. Often the harsh reality is we’ve been lulled to sleep by complacency and tolerance, our dreams have been forgotten, and the passion once burning deep inside us is barely a flicker.”
The word God gave me for 2014 is grow. Growth doesn’t happen when we refuse to fuel that flicker of passion God has planted within each of us. Your light is unique and made especially for you. The truth is we are powerless. Without God’s grace and provision, we can accomplish nothing. The absence of Jesus means the absence of hope.
God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. His grace is sufficient. His grace is sufficient for you. His grace is sufficient for me. Instead of buying into the enemy’s lies that we are weak and unworthy, let us embrace our weaknesses so Jesus’ power may rest completely within us. Let us boast of our weakness so that our accomplishments glorify the Lord, our God.
