Skip to main content

“He has a plan that is beyond your ability to comprehend.”

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 151). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

This is for us to believe, no matter what.

Charles says, “Week after week in the church I serve in Texas, I look out at a congregation of faces, many of whom are struggling to grasp this transforming truth. Again, what is it? That God’s strength is revealed in our weakness—in our fears, in our struggles, in our pain, and in our limitations.”

He goes on, “By this I mean turn your heart toward the Lord. Consider this: what you are enduring is part of His gracious and loving plan to make you rely completely on Him. He wants you to experience the wonder of His all-sufficient grace and power.

“From God’s point of view, your pain or your loved one’s pain, including your limitations, is no accident. Accept the fact that this challenge has come from God, or at least it has been allowed by Him to draw you toward Him. He has a plan that is beyond your ability to comprehend. That frees you from bitterness or from thinking your situation was caused by happenstance. It also allows you to be delivered from the torture of a constant ‘if only’ or ‘what if’ mentality. It also releases you from the paralyzing effects of searching for someone to blame for your predicament and pain. Looking up to God removes the desire to point a finger in anger and resentment. Next, Look Within . . . This will allow you to view your struggle as your friend, not your enemy. That realization can be a gracious relief, reminding you of God’s grace and teaching you new dimensions of His love. Once you begin to think this way, an unexplainable joy will replace every hint of self-pity.”

He then says, “Other people in your life may expect you to be bitter because you can’t get around like others do or because you can’t use your arms or because your anxiety prevents you from holding a decent job. But when you understand that God’s grace is all you need, you can silence those negative influences and fully embrace your weakness.

“Your disability, your lifelong struggle, can be the platform God uses to display His power. Let me repeat: your disability doesn’t have to be your enemy; it can actually become your friend.”

It can actually become your friend.  It really can. So, would you strive to now believe that God’s grace is all you need?  Would you?

Yes, yes!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle?   Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...
Post a Comment
Read more

“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. To realize that from God’s perspective life is a test goes a long way in determining how you handle your life.   It is important to see that in testing your character is both developed and revealed.   Rick goes on to say that “even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.” So there is a God purpose behind each situation in your life.   Even the bad ones are there to strengthen you and develop you.   You see those bad situations are really good ones because they are there for your good. I start each day with a reminder that God is good.   Not every situation that is going to come in my day is good but because G...
Post a Comment
Read more

“What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 35). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Rick posed this question at the end of his chapter, You Are Not an Accident.   In this chapter he deals with the fact that God created you the way you are with a purpose.   In other words you are not an accident.   I am also reading the Apostle John’s view of Jesus and what He said and did while He was here on earth.   In the beginning of Chapter 9 there is a story about a blind man.   And the disciples who were with Him asked Him a good question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? ”   Have you ever asked the same thing about something in you that you don’t like?   Like that characteristic is a curse or something.   Society has set a standard that is not a standard of God.   Remember, He created you and you are not an accident. Je...
Post a Comment
Read more