Growing Up in Jesus

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading titled, Growing Up in Jesus, was written by Karen Huang. As a child, I viewed grown-ups as wise and incapable of failure. They always know what to do, I'd think. One day when I'm grown up, I'll always know what to do, too. Well, one day came many years ago, and all it has taught me is that many times, I still don't know what to do. Whether it's illness in the family, problems at work, or conflict in a relationship, such times have wrestled all delusions of personal control and strength, simply leaving me one option, to close my eyes and whisper, Lord, help, I don't know what to do. The apostle Paul understood this feeling of helplessness.

The thorn in his life, which may have been a physical ailment, caused him much frustration and pain. It was through this thorn, however, that Paul experienced God's love, promises, and blessings as sufficient for him to endure and overcome his difficulties. He learned that personal weakness and helplessness don't mean defeat. When surrendered to God in trust, they become tools for him to work in and through these circumstances. Our being a grown-up doesn't mean we're all-knowing.

Sure, we grow wiser with age, but ultimately, our weaknesses often reveal how truly powerless we are. Our true power is in Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong, Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 12.

Truly growing up means knowing, trusting, and obeying the power that comes when we realize we need God's help. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 6 through 10. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me.

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for being our help and our strength. And when we feel like we can't go on any longer, remind us that we only need to lean on you to carry us through. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening today. I'm Rachelle Traub, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.