"...when I am weak, then I am strong."

I know its been over a month since I returned from doing missions work in Ukraine and Russia, but I'm still pretty excited over what God taught me while I was there. So I thought I'd share a little bit of it with you all.

During the trip, God totally emphasized a truth that I had known before, but which had never really hit super close to home with me. In the weeks leading up to the trip I was studying a book that my brother, Harrison, got for me called Spiritual Maturity by J. Oswald Sanders. In one chapter he elaborates on 2 Corinthians 12:9 -- "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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me...For when I am weak, then I am strong." In Oswald's chapter, he quotes someone (but strangely doesn't tell us who) who makes a really good point: "This is the strategy of God...that the world should know that Christianity--all the triumphs of faith in individual lives and the onward march and mission of the Church--is not to be explianed by anything in man, any human virtue, prowess, ability (for in the light of the men involved any such explanation would be absurd). Therefore the only possible explanation must be supernatural and Divine." Ok, so imagine me going into the mission trip having read that and desiring a heart that would truly want to step back in the lime-light and let God shine through my actions and words.

So, a few days into the mission trip, I reflected a bit on what had gone on during my time in Kiev so far as I was preparing to go to bed. Many relationships had been made, some old relationships had been made stronger, and there was much evidence that people were being encouraged in the Lord as a result of His work through my team. But, I also reflected on what had truly been going on inside of my heart during our time of ministry, and, as usual, was dissapointed to remember that yes, many of my motives and true desires had been me-centered, not God-centered. I kind of felt helpless like maybe I would never be able to truly conduct ministry....and then God used 1 Corinthians 12:9 to help me realize that I was absolutely right! I will never be able to truly conduct ministry, because any ministry or encouragement that is done is totally done by God. He just uses weak vessels, such as me, to carry HIS ministry. "...when I am weak, then I am strong." That phrase suddenly seemed to scream at me, "When you realize how weak your sinful heart makes your motives and desires, then you will realize the strength and the power of God that He uses minister to people through such a lowly vessel such as yourself." Sure, it was a very humbling lesson to learn, but also one that made me wonderfully excited. Its just so cool that the ministry and encouragement that God wants to get done WILL get done, not because the people that He uses are so great, but simply because He's the One who is doing it!