by Bob Hooker
I don’t normally write about my walks at that time of day. Normally I do as I am doing now which is writing immediately after my walk. At the time I wrote I was very weary, from physical exertion and from some issues which are simply out of my realm of ability to fix. Like most men I struggle with those things that hurt my family that I can not take away. Today we face a few of those humanly unsolvable things. Thank God that I was able to one more night go to meet the One who can solve the unsolvable. He did not take them away but He reminded me of Paul and how he had a thorn in the flesh and three times asked the Lord to take it away.
Finally, he came to the conclusion that God did not want to remove it and as Paul realized the real truth behind God’s refusal to remove it, he saw the real source of strength.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
What a list of negatives but Paul said he took pleasure in them. Pleasure because he would and could have the great joy and pleasure of experiencing the power of God instead of his own power. The thrill of knowing God did it in and through him instead of knowing he had used his own strength. Our strength will fade and fail but through His strength, which is revealed when we are weak, we see the fulfillment of Isa 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. Isa 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Isa 40:30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Satan tries to bring weariness so that we will quit in discouragement, but God takes that same weariness and brings His strength.
by Bob Hooker