Soul-Counsel in Weakness


I so easily try to muscle my way through seasons of weakness and don't recognize God calling out to me in it. Do you resonate?

Often, my season of weakness is something as simple as not feeling joyful about the mundane things I have to do. Other times, the challenges are more intense, like a parenting challenge that I don't have an easy answer to or a trip to Urgent Care because I cut my finger on the lid of a can and possibly cut through a tendon. (Yes, you're right... I'm talking about actual events here!) But either way, it is super easy to try to ignore those feelings of weakness and try to mask them by reaching for the wrong things. 

I look for help in the temporary. 

I try to console myself that something better is coming.

I slip into survival mode, or completely shut down. 

I hide in the kitchen and grab some chocolate to snack on. 

I scroll on social media.

But all the while, Jesus is calling to me, "Sandie... I'm here for you in this too...." 

I have been pondering weakness more lately due to challenges like the ones mentioned above, realizing it's a good thing. But we can't stop with that realization. We must reach for the right Source. 

This morning I penned this soul-counsel in response to His gentle whisper. I hope it encourages you!


"I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Oh my soul, do you feel your weakness? Then half the battle is already won! It is good to feel weak. 

Yet, what are you grasping for in your weakness? Why, my soul? Why do you reach for those temporary fixes? Have you forgotten that they can't really help you?

You are a mere branch of the vine, only lifted off the ground by a prop because the Gardener put you there. 

You can only get life from one place -the Vine. Why do you try so hard to gain life from other things? Don't you know that's impossible? 

You can only do eternal things by eternal means. You can only gain heavenly joy, peace, satisfaction, love, etc. from a heavenly Source.

Oh soul, what are you depending on? You can tell by what fruit it's producing -or the lack thereof. 

Are you empty? Are you unsatisfied? Do you lack joy and love for others? Do you feel as though every effort you put forth is futile? 

Oh, where has your gaze been? Look up and hear afresh the words of Jesus. Let them wash over you with sweet comfort and release. "I am the Vine; you are the branches." 

There are not many sources you may gain heavenly strength from -only One. His name is Jesus. He is your heavenly life-source. He is not expecting you to gather scraps of life wherever you can find them. He is life itself, and if you hope to produce or gain anything of heavenly value, you must go to Him and stay there, receiving all He gives.

For soul, apart from Him you are doing nothing, no matter how hard you try. Apart from Him you are finding nothing and coming up empty, no matter how hard you search.

But He is still available to you. my soul, so draw near to Him and abide in Him. He is all you need. He will fill your weakness with Himself.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When my emotions are out of control...

Image
Often in the shadows I sit, surrounded by piles and piles of emotions that hold my attention and overwhelm me. Often they arrive in a sandstorm of confusion, walling me in and leaving me full of fear.  They're dirty emotions. Many of them don't make any sense to me. And the more I try to bring order to the piles around me, the more of a mess it all becomes.  One addition to my piles of emotions came through a friend who didn't fulfill my expectations. The one before that came through a sibling who hurt me. Another whirlwind arrived in the form of broken dreams. And yet another came in the quiet of my bedroom, looking in the mirror at a failure -myself- a girl who could never be good enough; a girl who'd never measure up.
Read more

He gives MORE grace

Image
Seasons of great need - how easily we shun them like the plague.   The past several weeks have been drenched in many challenges and needs for me and my family.  Need that has had me crying out to God, “how long?”  I beg him for a time limit, some light at the end of the tunnel, but when I look for it, I just see more tunnel.  What is the purpose of a season like this?  This is the question I have found myself asking God on a near daily basis.  I won’t say I’ve found out the fullness of the answer yet, but pressing the question so much has yielded some light for me.  After all, He promises that those who seek will find.  And one thing He keeps pressing into my soul is this:  My need is my opportunity to test the limits I think God has on the amount of grace He will give me.  And oh, if I could recount to you all the ways He has already poured so much grace, you would think me a spoiled daughter of the King.  But if you saw how each day, I awaken to fresh new needs that have me stumbling
Read more

Every Girl's Battle

Image
I walked all alone down the leaf-strewn sidewalk, my hands in my pockets. A dark figure came out of the shadows and walked towards me. I could not make out who it was, but I sensed an evil about him -an evil that threatened my beautiful surroundings. And then he spoke in a forceful tone. "You had better face it. You are alone, and it will always be that way. Nobody really loves you. You just think they do. Really, though, you are alone." I tried to fight back the tears as the reality of his words sank in. Was it really true? People seemed to like me, but really, did they? It seemed true enough. I was all alone in this world. Nobody really wanted to know what I had to say or think. It was just me, and that was it. Deep in thought, I failed to notice that the dark figure had left me to think about his lies alone.
Read more