Weakness

by Susan Sampson

Calling any other weak moms…

I think one of the biggest things I am learning through this study is how truly weak I really am.  That wasn’t exactly what I was hoping to learn.  That wasn’t my goal when I started the study.  I wanted to learn to be a better mom.  A godly mom.  Could it be that weakness is the pathway to godliness?

I’ve been praying for quite some time now asking the Lord to deliver me from my pride, to give me a humble heart.  But really what I want is to be painlessly transformed in my sleep overnight into the perfect super mom and wife.  I don’t want the pain of seeing my sin and weakness.

Yet I thank the Lord for His lovingkindness, knowing exactly what I need.  I thank Him for how I am starting to see that I am completely weak.  Because before this I could manage in my own strength.  Not great, but pretty good. Good enough.  Now I am starting to see what is actually true for all of us.  We are utterly dependent on His grace every moment of every day.

There is no good deed I perform that is not tainted in some way by sin.  There is no good in me apart from Jesus Christ.  My flesh is all sin.  He alone is good.  He alone is righteous.  “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).  

Throughout this study at different times I have been tempted to despair in thinking, “I’m not good enough,” or, “I’m not a good enough mom,” or, “I’m not as good a mom as her.”  But I can see the wrong thinking here.  The lie.  This thought presumes there was some good in me to begin with.

There is an eternal difference between being a sinner and not being good enough.  A sinner has hope in Christ.  The latter’s hope is in self getting better and that is not the gospel.

“For if because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

“For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). 

We have all we need in Christ.  Because of Him, we have been declared righteous.  Declared holy.  Declared forgiven.  Declared free.  Adopted and made a co-heir with Christ.  Beloved.  Not just good enough — made perfect in the eyes of God by the precious blood of the King of kings!

In view of this free gift of righteousness, and abundance of grace, let us not grow weary in doing good and run the remainder of this study with endurance.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus who is both the Author of our faith and the Perfector of our faith.  May Christ alone be glorified in our weakness.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Rejoicing in His promise today, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench” (Matthew. 12:20).