WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG

If you have been following my blog closely, I have mentioned about my ill health. Yes, I have been down for a while now. I was diagnosed with ovarian cyst and along with some other complications for which I underwent a very painful surgery. I almost died out of pain while they did few other tests. I knew this was going to be painful since I had read so many reviews before. I didn't want to go through any of these tests or surgery. Several times I cried to God to take this away from me. But God just gave me a verse through my dad on the day of my surgery. He said, “God’s grace is sufficient for Gracema (dad calls me Gracema)”. While being broken, I held on to this verse.

I read again from 2 Corinthians 12 where Apostle Paul says, “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 strength 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.”

Even now as I'm recovering from the pain, I am mediating that when I am weak, then I am strong. Whatever you may be undergoing today, God’s grace is sufficient for you.

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WHEN PRAYERS GO UNANSWERED

If all my prayers where answered, I would not be writing this article. There are times in our lives when prayers go unanswered. Sometimes I get depressed when I don't get what I prayed for. But what am I to do in such situations in life? I have been pondering why prayers go unanswered for a while now. While reading the passage from 2 Samuel 12:16-24, something that King David did blew my mind off. Here, David's son was sick and he had prayed for God to save his child. But eventually his child dies. David's prayers went unanswered. But how did David react?

3 things to do when prayers go unanswered:

1. Worship God

    

It is when we are at the deepest of problems that we need to worship God more. David's son was dead. He did not blame God or himself or the Doctors instead he arose and went into the house of God and worshiped God. Many of us are undergoing unexplained and untold problems in our lives. The best thing to do is worship God in this situation. There is no place better than to be in the house of the Lord.

2. Accept the Sovereignty of God

The Sovereignty of God simply means that God is in control of all things past, present and future. Nothing happens that is out of His direction or permission. All things are either caused by Him or allowed by Him for His own purposes and through His perfect will and timing. David accepted God's plan and purpose without questioning God. We simply accept His will for our lives and move on.

3. Anoint yourself with the Holy Spirit

This anointing is God's ability in you to enable you to do something with God's help, without it being a struggle. When David anointed himself and worshiped God, he was comforted by the Holy Spirit of God. The minute God’s anointing starts to flow on you, it will heal you. Your heart will be healed. We read that David was able to comfort his wife and they were blessed with another child.

Few thoughts why prayers go unanswered

Right now I do not have the things I prayed for because:

1. God doesn't want me to have.
2. It's not God will yet.
3. God's plan is better than mine.
4. God sees the future.
5. God knows what He is doing and in control.
6. God is testing me.
7. God is preparing me.
8. God wants me to be patient.
9. God wants me to trust in His timing.
10. God wants to reveal His glory in this situation.

Prayer:

Dear God, when things go wrong, help me to worship you, accept your sovereignty (know that you are in control) and stay in your anointing (be filled with the Holy Spirit). Also that you will bless the person reading this post and hear their prayers.In Jesus' name.

Amen!

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MY DELIGHT

We all have desires in our heart. Some of us are still waiting on those desires to be fulfilled. When the season of waiting becomes long, it’s easy to lose hope. But how do we strengthen ourselves and delight in Him in this season of waiting? Delighting is an action of taking great pleasure in Him, to please Him or to be His pleasure. Here is something that encouraged me while studying on this verse.

Look up these scriptures below and begin to familiarize yourself with them. Highlight them, write them in your journal, pray them, but mostly get them in your heart! And He will give you the desires of your heart!

WAYS TO DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD

Doing His will
I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8

Meditating on scriptures
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

Being honest  
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight. Proverbs 12:22

Obedience
So Samuel said: Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22

Prayer
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. Proverbs 15:8

Loving His Word
I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love. Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight. Psalm 119:16, 24, 35, 47, 77

Most of all, we delight in Him because we love Him. And through the process of delighting ourselves in the Lord, we see that He delights in us!

Here is a song that blessed my heart. It's called "None but Jesus" by Hillsong:

All my delight is in you Lord

All of my hope

All of my strength

All my delight is in you Lord

Forevermore

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