He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength – Isaiah 40:29.
When giving the fourth sub point from the message yesterday (4. No matter what you are going through, you are learning all the time) the man of God said: “You really might have messed up big time, even in that mess there are lessons, God wants you to learn valuable lessons that are necessary for your walk of faith”. This point became an important precursor for me as we came to point number eight (8. God does not judge the weak). While listening to the message yesterday I had no ‘amens’ and ‘glory’ to give, I was so quiet, Pastor Tabbs was entirely on his own! What I didn’t realise was that Holy Spirit had orchestrated my disposition to listen, because He called me out of bed that night and started showing me things about myself.
I was and still am awestruck by God’s patience because of how much I have transgressed in my Christian walk for the past 14 years. As you can imagine, it is a lot. I deceived myself into thinking that I was growing in the faith while fully aware of the hold satan had on me because of sins I had permitted and excused. It has actually been a strange reality to live out (Romans 7:19). No matter how much I knew, I could not help myself, I was acting and reacting and it was not good. For instance, I knew we ought not to complain but I have been complaining, we ought to be still and know yet I have been fighting my own battles and calling people out. Which brings me to another thing that would have preserved me my dignity, being quiet and not be found in much talking, I have been found in so much idle talk I am ashamed. I have judged, I have castigated, I have named and shamed, I have opposed, I have been contentious, I have been a nightmare with a twist of Christian lime.
Yet one of the most vivid memories I have in my walk with the Lord is His inexhaustible love for me. This is strange! I sat in the lounge in the wee hours of this morning thinking ‘I don’t deserve it!’. I don’t deserve anything. I have been horrible, I have failed the exam, I have fouled out of the game, why am I still here? He loves Me! That’s why! It’s heavy, I don’t get it! Everyone can understand Jesus loving the woman caught in the very act of adultery, she was weak, Jesus never judged her, He loved her. We all are blown away by the story of the prodigal son and his being received back, it only makes sense, he had a slight lapse in judgement, Jesus is merciful. But a judgy Christian, a holier than thou, a “super-spiritual” terrorizing the little sheep!?!
There’s forgiveness for all who are willing to turn away (1 John 1:9). Sometimes the people who grand stand are some of the most broken too, and Jesus sees them and doesn’t judge them, He wants to bind up their wounds too, heal them and reveal their true potential. A lot of us hide our true sins and that’s pride. We are more ready to confess sexual sin than to admit that we haven’t walked in love towards the bretheren, that’s the deception. some things are too embarrasing for a supposedly mature Christian to own up to and that’s weakness, God doesn’t judge weakness, He calls us to repentance. In the past 14 years I have enjoyed some of the best years of my life where God is concerned, I have been blessed, and happy, protected and provided for, while I have been sinning and miserable in the areas of my resposibilities. God did not take away all His blessings to show me out, He covered me with His love, and that thing sends my brain spinning, but this has been my reality.
What’s your weakness? There’s forgiveness and redemption for you too in Christ! It’s time to turn away from corruption, to be acquinted with the intensity of God’s grace, learn the lessons and do mighty exploits in Christ.
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