August 16, 2021
The Beauty of Crooked Feet
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power 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, (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).
Friend to Friend
For many years, I did everything I possibly could to hide or erase any weakness in my life. When that didn’t work, I simply pretended that those weak areas didn’t exist. Why? Because if I was weak, how could Jesus love me? How could anyone love me? How could I love myself?
When our son, Jered, began to walk, I immediately noticed that his feet turned inward. Our pediatrician recommended a specialist who examined Jered thoroughly, then ordered several x-rays. The more he examined Jered, the more concerned we became. When the specialist finally called us in for a consultation, we braced ourselves for the bad news.
The doctor’s stoic face revealed nothing, but his diagnosis was a gift. “There is nothing wrong with Jered’s feet,” he said. “They are simply the feet of a natural athlete and were designed to give him great balance.”
What we feared as a weakness was really a great strength and part of the Master’s plan for Jered who graduated from college on a football and academic scholarship.
God created us according to His plan, in love and with purpose – weaknesses and all. We tend to view our weaknesses as liabilities. But if our worth does not depend upon us in any way, we can be honest about our weaknesses, knowing they do not diminish our value in the heart and mind of God. In fact, our weaknesses can become the areas through which God does His greatest work.
We sometimes try to ignore weaknesses, hoping no one will notice. We live in denial, assigning blame to others when we fail. Eventually, we attempt to bury our weaknesses - only to find them resurrecting themselves when we least expect it.
A powerful life embraces pain and understands that perfection is for Heaven, not Earth. The words of Paul are profound, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27, NIV).
When we are honest about our weaknesses, we are conceding the fact that only God can accomplish anything good in or through us. God’s power is instantly recognizable in obvious weakness.
God has always allowed man’s weakness to validate the immeasurable need of His redemption and His sufficiency in our lives. He can and will use us if we allow Him to do so – not despite our weaknesses – but through our weaknesses.
We are not the message – just the messenger. And the mess is so often the very message God wants to deliver.
Our weaknesses are not excuses to escape God’s plan. They are divinely appointed opportunities for that plan to work.
Don’t wait until you have it all figured out. That won’t happen this side of Heaven.
Don’t wait until you think you are good enough. You never will be good enough as long as you are trapped in your frail humanity.
Step up to the plate and be the imperfect you; allowing God’s perfection to shine through each and every weakness. Do not listen to the doubts and lies of Satan. His goal is to render you helpless and defeated.
I recently told a friend, “I want to get to the place in my walk with God, that when my feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, “Oh, no! She’s awake!” I know I have a long way to go but join me in the choice to embrace weakness and pain, allowing God’s strength and restoration to shine through each broken place.
Let’s Pray
Father, right now, I yield to the truth that I am weak, and You are strong. Forgive me for the arrogance and pride that make me think I can do anything good on my own. Keep me broken, Father, and on my face before You. Please use the broken places in my life to let Your light shine through.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Read the story of Gideon in Judges 6:1 – 27.
Whose strength accomplished the task God called Gideon to do? How can you relate that to your own daily life?
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© 2021 by Mary Southerland. All rights reserved.
Originally published Monday, 16 August 2021.
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