Wisdom and help for one day at a time. The blessing of feeling weakness.

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" 

2 Cor 8:9

We live in a world which is full of self-help advice to be "the best" ... the best parents, the best manager, the "best version of myself". Christian culture has imbibed this spirit of our age, too many books suggesting that we (in the words of M People): "search for the hero inside", as we walk the simple 10 steps to a more effective Christian life or church.  As I travel, I notice how the weight of this advice crumbles many into believing they are failures, that their family, work, or even their Christian life has fallen well below the acceptable level of knowledge they should've arrived at long ago.

 Maybe it is the false promise of our culture that we are all (or at least could be)  experts at everything, or the fact that the world's greatest library is at our fingertips, suggesting that more knowledge is always what we should strive for, need, and that greater knowledge will always lead to greater success. Wisdom is qualitatively different to knowledge. 

True wisdom starts each day by bowing before the maker of heaven and earth. True wisdom is gained as a gift from one who is rightly to be honoured as gracious, not earned by effort or proud arrogance. I am reminded by the melodic thread of scripture that wisdom is a daily discipline and rhythm (Psalm 55:16-17). Whilst over time there is a grand trajectory for all those "In Christ" until the day we are transformed (2 Cor 3:18), the earthly challenges of each day demand a daily humility to cry out in daily dependence as one incapable by ourselves. How wonderful that our God, who governs the daily rhythm of the cosmos, also provides daily for His children. His capability is enough for me. (Ps 34:17).  

I often feel a failure. This is especially true in the realms of a global need, complexity, cultural nuance, and those yet to be reached with eternity-changing good news; the task and even sometimes the understanding of the task is too big for my small brain and limited experience. The church this side of glory will remain imperfect; every conscientious, humble and honest pastor knows this keenly.  

However, when I lay my limitations before God, I am invariably greeted with the assurance, wisdom, equipping, solutions, and path forward for each day in his character and presence. There is a mystery to this. Sometimes, like Job, God calls us to wait more on him with unanswered, bigger questions; the answers will come, but not yet. This is part of ordained and acceptable worship as outlined in scripture (especially in the wisdom literature of the Bible), and I am grateful. My greatest failure is that I am slow to depend on my saviour. 

 For the child of Christ, the answers will come in ultimate provision and resolution in the soon-coming ultimate immediate resurrection presence and resolution of Christ and His Lordship (1 Cor 15:20-28). There is, however, a provision for each day now which is guaranteed, a wisdom and grace sufficient for each day, magnitude trials and needs.  He is with us by His Spirit. Our God does not fail and will never fail us. Our God knows all things, both macro and micro, about our often-changing seasons, conditions, emotions, and moments.  In one season, we are healthy and young with growing ambitions and dreams, in another, we are feeling our age, fragility, grieving death, lost opportunities, and the transience of life. He knows all things. He knows you better than you know yourself. (Psalm 139: 13-16). 

Our God specialises in helping those who acknowledge their weaknesses before him.  The articulation of help needed covers all inadequacies (Isa 65:24, Romans 8:26). Starting each day in dependence on Him will lead to good places, greater usefulness to others, greater sensitivity to His direction in the confidence of His help, and greater liberty to walk His way without the paralysing constraint and doubt of whether you are doing the right things. His grace is sufficient. (2 Cor 12:9). His way is perfect. His plans are good. Trust him one day at a time.

Whatever today holds for you, I'm praying you know not only your absolute need of Him, but His absolute sufficiency also. I pray that the testimony of his sufficiency shines brightly through your acknowledged weakness.  Recent surveys on spirituality in the West attest to a growing number of people "aware" of spirituality; this is often accompanied by believing that ultimate solutions are found "inside" (not "outside" in a higher spiritual being). So many UK daily podcasts proclaim this religion of betterment and self-worship. It is the worst of two worlds. Still trapped in enlightenment betterment, whilst looking anywhere other than the living God (post-modernism). Ultimately, we all as fallen humans disappoint ourselves, never mind others. We all need and are made for something more than we can provide or find within. Therefore, those Children of Christ who live in daily dependence and wisdom in Him, His finished perfect work, His never-failing perfection, are precisely what our world needs. The testimony of failures loved by grace is the gospel which reaches deep into the spirit of our age. Keep going in him, failing friend, as you acknowledge each day your fresh need of Him and His help.