He Understands

LORD, you understand; remember me and care for me. ~ Jeremiah 15:15 NIV

When I read today’s verse, Holy Spirit whispered, “Jesus does understand.” Like many other families, we’ve been under enemy fire. Sometimes the attacks come in little things like when Savannah’s strong-willed streak appears and she pees in front of the toilet instead of in it. But sometimes it’s the bigger things like when we have exactly enough diapers to get Elizabeth through church and then we will be completely out of diapers and without money to buy more. Or when there’s more month than there is food in the house. And just to add insult to injury, the enemy comes and steals sleep night after night after night.

But every time I come into my Daddy’s presence and cry, “I am so tired! I need Your help to get me through today,” that’s when Jesus says, “I know. I’ve been there.” Until this season, I’ve never understood 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak then I am strong,” (NIV). When I humble my heart, enter His presence, and ask for His help, He binds His strength and power with my faith and I am able to persevere by His power alone. It’s been through those times that I become strong and stronger still. Persevere is the Greek word hypomonē which is “the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith…even by the greatest trials and sufferings,” (blueletterbible.org).

It’s impossible to do anything by our own strength and power. But when we invite God’s power to be infused with our own, there is nothing God can’t or won’t do through us.

©Heather Potts 2016

Give It Everything

Give it everything you have, heart and soul. ~ Joshua 1:7 MSG

Several months ago, I wrote a devotional called “More.” In essence, it’s the constant battle between opposing forces. For example, when Peter stepped out of the boat to move toward Jesus, there were more opportunities for him to drown, but there was also the possibility that he’d walk on water. When David approached the battle line to fight Goliath, there were more opportunities for him to be slaughtered and the Israelites to become slaves, but there was also the possibility that he’d kill the giant.

The truth is, we won’t know the possibility of success until we try and give it everything. When I ran my 5K in December, I didn’t push myself due to a myriad of reasons, and I ran my slowest pace ever. While it was still fun, I was disheartened by my time. A couple weeks ago, Holy Spirit said to give it everything, to push myself and hold nothing back. I walked a 5K much faster than I ran it back in December. 

We won’t know what God can do in and through us until we give Him everything, holding nothing back.

Fear will always be present, because the enemy will always be present. The question is: what will you do with the fear? Will you allow it to paralyze you, completely stopping you from doing the very thing you long to do? Will you allow it to amputate you, decreasing your impact by choosing a “safer” route? Will you allow it to deter you, steering you away from your promised land for the next 40 years? Or will you use it to propel you, catapulting you to the very place and in front of the very people that God wants you to impact for His glory?

How much will you give God?

©Heather Potts 2016