“I am too big a problem for me.  But I am not too big a problem for God.”

This thought came to me during a general assembly at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.  I could hardly wait to sit down and scribble it out so I wouldn’t forget.  A simple thought?  Yes.  Yet it is a profound truth.

I’m a perfectionist, and I like to fix my own mistakes.  If I have a typo, I want to correct it myself (auto-correct is not my friend).  If I’m knitting and miss a stitch, I don’t find another knitter and let them get me back on track; I have to do it.

Sometimes, I’m like that spiritually too.  I want to be pleasing to God, and that is a right attitude.  Because of what He did for us, we ought to strive to be more like Him.  The problem comes into play when we forget that on our own, we can’t do it.

Forgetting who gives us the ability to change is like trying to make butter out of milk instead of cream.  We can churn until our hands are raw and bleeding, but without the cream, there is nothing to show for it.  Similarly, when we try to fix ourselves on our own, the lack of results can be frustrating.  The temptation to just give up is strong.

It is in those times, that we need to stop and look at the source of our strength.  Have we been attempting to do all the work ourselves, effectively saying, “I’ve got this God; move out of the way”?  Or are we leaning on Him, saying, “You’ve got this, God; how do you want me to respond?”

Dear Jesus, forgive me for trying to tackle my problems alone.  

Help me not to let my drive for perfection blind me to the only one who can make me “perfect and complete.”  (Colossians 4:12)

Work in me; change me.

When I am the problem I can’t fix, please remind me that you can and will if I will humble myself and let you be God.

Tea Review:

Today, I am drinking Borengajuli Estate tea from the English Tea Store.  It is a plain black with a superb malty flavor.  I’m currently on cup number six.  Yum!