August 27, 2021Dear friends,
In her blog post this week, Ann-Margret Hovsepian shared a link to a post by Patti Townley-Covert which contains some important insights that I hope you will find helpful: https://ptcovert.com/i-cant-do-this/. Here are some excerpts: “… grateful that overwhelming circumstances through the years have taught me how to navigate stormy seas when I’m feeling like I’m about to sink.
Adjust Your Expectations
Ending an unsustainable relationship with the love of my life and being a young single mom with an 18-month-old son, a job that barely paid the bills, a big yard to mow and a home that needed constant attention brought me to the point of despair. At least until I read a poem that has encouraged me for more than three decades. Whenever circumstances become more difficult than I can handle, its biblical concepts come to mind.
Grace Noll Crowell’s poem “Promised Strength” published in Apples of Gold (c. 1960) taught me that when I cry out for strength I can expect help from the Living God. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus encourages me (and you, too) to:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”
Trying to take care of my problems alone is oppressive and depressing. Handing my burden over to Jesus and asking Him to teach me shifts my expectations from my “self,” to Christ. That sets me up to learn how to eat an elephant without being consumed myself!
Take One Step at a Time
Again Crowell’s poem helped:
I took one step and I found it quite easy indeed to take,
And the burden slid from my shoulders,
and my heart that was ready to break.
Gave thanks that my eyes were opened
and my shoulders eased of their load,
as I saw, step by step I was strengthened
to walk on the roughest road.
Jesus doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He died for us because He knows we’re not. Our weaknesses don’t surprise Him. He simply wants us to admit them. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us that: “He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.’”
Give Yourself Freedom to Fail
No one can be perfect at everything. That’s reality. Giving myself permission to fail sets me free to take risks … Rather than thinking I have to do it all, I can do my best and leave the results to God.
Find Peace Despite the Challenges
While editing a biochemist’s book, I felt like I was in way over my head. At first I cried. The chemistry completely overwhelmed my knowledge. Then Philippians 4:6-7 helped me remember how to find peace when life feels out of control … God’s strength and power sustained me and I ended up loving that book. The science fascinated me and for nearly a decade I flourished in my profession. Eventually another overwhelming circumstance in that place led to even greater opportunities.
These steps make life an adventure – one filled with challenges, strength to overcome them, and peace in the process. If you have an overwhelming situation, asking Jesus for His promised strength is a good place to start on a fantastic adventure of your own.”
Scripture for the weekend: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)
Thought for the weekend: “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!” – Joseph Scriven
Steve