Embracing the Fire: Finding Strength in Our Weaknesses
Based on the August 11, 2024 message by Dr. Randall Carr.
Have you ever felt like you're just going through the motions in life, playing it safe and avoiding risks? Or maybe you've wondered why you face so many challenges in your faith journey? Today, I want to explore a powerful message that might just change your perspective on life's struggles and what it means to truly live for Christ.
The Fire Within
Back in 1993, Garth Brooks released a song called "Standing Outside the Fire." The lyrics paint a vivid picture of two types of people:
"We call them cool, those hearts that have no scars to show
The ones that never do let go and risk the tables being turned
We call them fools who have to dance within the flame
Who chance the sorrow and the shame that always comes with getting burned"
This song resonated with me, not just because of its catchy tune, but because of its deeper meaning. It speaks to a fundamental truth about life and faith: we can choose to play it safe, or we can choose to embrace the fire.
Paul's Fiery Faith
As I reflected on this song, I couldn't help but think of the Apostle Paul. If anyone knew what it meant to "dance within the flame," it was Paul. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-29, he gives us a glimpse into the challenges he faced:
"I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea..."
Paul's list goes on, detailing dangers, hardships, and constant pressure. Yet, despite all this, he didn't shy away from his calling. He couldn't abide standing outside the fire of his faith and mission.
The Thorn and the Power
In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul reveals a personal struggle - his "thorn in the flesh." We don't know exactly what this thorn was, but we know it caused Paul great distress. He pleaded with God to remove it, but God's response was profound:
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
This Revelation led Paul to a counterintuitive conclusion: "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Finding Your Why
Paul's attitude challenges us to reconsider how we view our struggles and weaknesses. It's not about what we face, but why we face it. This brings me to an important question: What is your why?
Comedian Michael Junior illustrates this concept beautifully. He says, "When you know your why, your what becomes more clear and more impactful." In a powerful demonstration, he asked a music instructor to sing "Amazing Grace" twice - once normally, and once as if singing from a place of deep personal experience. The difference was striking.
When we understand our purpose - our why - it transforms how we approach everything in life, including our challenges and weaknesses.
Embracing the Fire
So, I ask you today: What is your why for being here? For living as a reflection of Jesus? For loving people? For being a parent, a grandparent, a student, an employee, or a boss?
More importantly, how are you willing to lean into your why and allow it to change you and those around you?
Putting It Into Practice
1. Identify your why: Take some time to reflect on your purpose in different areas of your life. Write down your motivations for your faith, relationships, and roles.
2. Embrace your weaknesses: Instead of hiding your struggles, consider how God might use them to display His strength. Look for opportunities to be vulnerable and authentic.
3. Step into the fire: Is there an area of your life where you've been playing it safe? Challenge yourself to take a risk for Christ this week.
4. Seek God's strength: When facing difficulties, remember Paul's words and pray for God's power to be made perfect in your weakness.
Remember, following Christ and living the Jesus life is not free of risks. But as Paul discovered, it's when we are weak that we are truly strong in Christ. So let's commit together to a life that cannot abide standing outside the fire. Let's embrace the challenges, knowing that God's grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in our weakness.