Today, at Bible class, a sister of the faith said something to me that I will not soon forget. As I grieved the fact that I find myself struggling still with certain issues that I thought would have long since been resolved, she told me that I actually should be needing God more and more, that being “mature” in the faith would reflect greater dependence on him. Wow, I imagine this way of thinking might not fit most of our definitions of “mature.” I realized today that, when I think of the word, I envision needing others less than I’ve ever needed them before. “I really do have to grow up,” I tell myself repeatedly. “Surely I can handle things on my own this time.” This is how I’ve been defining maturity. Now I know I’m wrong.
In Scripture, we are told that the apostle Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was never removed. God did, however, give Paul the grace to live with that thorn, whatever it might have been (none of us knows exactly what Paul’s thorn was); we do know, though, that he was able to do life thorn and all because he chose to do life with, in and through Christ who gave him the strength to do so. My sister of the faith told me today that she used to think growing up would mean needing God less but she had discovered that just the opposite is true; she realizes more and more that her need for God becomes greater each and every day. She is spot on here. Every minute, every second, every breath does depend solely upon him.
I see now that maturity is a most humble thing–it is our realizing we should never envision ourselves arriving at a point in our lives where we can handle things all on our own; we were never meant to do that down here. Apparently we do live life upside down. Most of us seem to spend our lives trying to de-thorn ourselves instead of accepting the fact that those most unpleasant prickles are often the very things that serve to remind us God is indeed real and ever-present and ever-loving. “Can’t he though just take away our sufferings, our temptations?” We ask this of him. But, instead of always rescuing us the way that we think we would rescue one another, God chose to descend and suffer along with us.
You, Dr. Foss, are not alone. We all, no matter our age, struggle with “life” on this planet but with our eyes looking toward Heaven with fear and trembling but with a hope in our fragile hearts and love for our Savior and our eyes fixed only on Him. He Is The Perfection and we are His now and in the life to come.
I always enjoy your posts!
Thank you, Kay, for these most encouraging words!
Thank you for your encouraging words today. I printed this so that I can share with someone. I gave one of your books to a friend today and I am anxious to see her remarks. I will share later. She is about 79 and has end stages of arthritis and is in pain constantly. She is at her limit on medication without going to morphine. A woman of God – her everyone is on Him. We pick her up for Wednesday and Sunday services from her assisted living home – and she is asking questions all the way to church of my pastor husband. She is a sponge and loves to share. When her health is good she leads a Bible study one on one to several residents there. Have a blessed day. Enjoy your posts.
It’s so great to hear from you again-and thank you for sharing your friend’s story with me; I’m sure there is much she could teach us all!
Thank you for sharing this powerful and encouraging Word of the Lord. What a blessing you are to everyone the Lord allows to cross your path. Continue to tell your HIStory. We are Strengthened and our Father is Gloried by them…
Thank you for saying this-and thank you too for showing up when/where you were needed.
Angela, I totally agree. The more I study and the closer I get to God, the more I am focused on Him and aware of my love and need for Him.
Thank you for sharing, Anne-He certainly does love his girls well:)!