You know when you're in an interview and they ask, 'what are 2 of your strengths?'-and then you brag about how amazing you are. Then they ask you 'what are your weaknesses?'...and any good interviewee knows not to say your REAL weaknesses. You mostly just name 2 things that may be perceived as weaknesses...but really they could be strengths in another context.I was thinking about that today. I've been battling my flaws lately...struggling and praying for God to affirm me in my strengths. My two weaknesses(though there's more than 2)...I am too trusting. I am too loving.
Trust-such a funny issue for me.. when it comes to God-I struggle to trust Him as much as I should. People I don't know-I have a hard time trusting them. But when it comes to people I love..I think I trust them too much. Sometimes I think the best of people-when I shouldn't. Or think they are good and honest...when they are not.
Love-I love loving people. It brings the greatest joy to my heart when people let me love them. However, most times I find myself holding back..a lot. But I think I end up loving people too much...it's always too much. Because I have not completely mastered the art of absolute selfless love...now Jesus..he knew selfless love.
I was thinking about these two things today while I was running. Asking God if they really were weaknesses...or if they were indeed gifts that He's given me....because let's face it...there has been a lot of pain in my life because of these two things.
I saw how the enemy was attacking my strengths...showing the flaws in them..and yes maybe my qualities are flawed..but I don't believe that the Lord gave them to me that way. He desires these to be strong attributes of mine...to be used to fulfill his purposes..to bring his kingdom to earth...and as usual I get in the way. But the Lord still loves me, he forgives me, he still wants to use me, and so I'll trust him and let him. He's not done shaping me yet....that's a journey I'll be on forever. Right now...I'm just listening..listening as he speaks his affirmation over me...so that I too can believe that these things are indeed strengths.
2 comments:
Isn't it interesting how strengths and weaknesses can be such a gray area? One minute, loving someone with so much passion only to be left wounded by their actions can seem like such a weakness. But really, despite the hurt it causes us, that ability to love is God's best for us?
It makes me think how much God's strength, the ability to love selflessly, must have caused him great pain. How it still does each day that he loves us with such passion, and each day so many of us push him aside, or say hurtful things. But I am still so glad that He sees His love as a strength and NOT a weakness :)
thanks for that Erin..you're right..and I'm really glad too:)
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