living loved

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. – 2 Corinthians 12:9

In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul continues to write to the church in Corinth is his attempt to fight the good fight and keep the people of Corinth honest in regard to Jesus and truth. There were a lot false teachings and hypocrisy within the newly formed church and already the bride Christ intended us to be was blemished.

Sounds a lot like today. There was a lot of boasting amongst church leadership and “super apostles” as Paul calls them. The hypocrisy and sin was covered up in the modern filters and selfies we indulge in today. I recently used the images in this blog at a retreat. My point in using these images is that we tend to make or attempt to create the “perfect” image of ourselves, families, kids, careers, accomplishments. We filter and crop these images to meet our needs and the expectations of others. These pictures were taken Easter 2022 and when we looked at the images, my bearded beauty said, “Keep all of those – that’s a sermon right there.” And sure enough, those images have been used again and again in different variations and different scriptures throughout the year.

So, here we are this morning. Nope, we didn’t go to church this morning – shame, shame, sinner. Nope, we didn’t wake our kids from their slumber to dress up for church – shame, shame sinner. Yes, my hubs and I have these weaknesses and vices that make us imperfect ( a thorn like Paul’s) – shame, shame sinner. Those images are a representation of me trying to keep up with the perfectly created families all around us (fake it till you make it) – shame, shame sinner. My hubs struggles with chewing tobacco – shame, shame sinner. I think you get the point.

Paul had a thorn that he begged the Lord to take from him, and instead the Lord revealed to Paul that he needed that thorn in order to keep Paul from becoming conceited and that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Some times, we live with a thorn because if we didn’t have it or the Lord took it from us then we would walk away from Him. We would rely on our own sufficiency rather than the sufficient grace of the savior, and our sufficiency is always depleting and contingent upon our own worth, works, shame and regret. BUT His sufficiency is a constant and endless supply of grace, peace, and love. I don’t love my sinful nature. I don’t relish in my own sin. But knowing my “thorn” draws me closer to the one who pulled it out. It is no longer shame, shame sinner. Instead it is yes, yes Lord – amen. And I will boast in my weaknesses so that Christ’s forgiveness and mercy and grace and can rest on me. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12: 10

I need Him. I need the author of my life to continue to rewrite the chapters of my mess into something beautiful and eloquent filled with love and joy and peace in all my shame as a sinner. I don’t need to rewrite or cover up my sin for the world – it has already been covered by the cross. Stop living in shame, sinner. Look up, repent up, and give up to the One who paid it all.

XOXO, Loni