I Thought I Would be Over This

Luke 18:14, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Luke 15:7, 10

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So you’re there again, huh? I know it’s disappointing and frustrating. I was there again, actually just a couple of weeks ago. I was driving down the main road in our town and I remember just thinking to myself, I thought I would be over the struggle by now. Like I thought I wouldn’t have these thoughts go through my head by now. I thought I would be in a better place. And I was thinking I can’t wait for the day when I’m finally free of all this. And then I can really give God glory with my life.

It’s a hard spot to be. But all sudden something clicked for me and I realized something. And my realization started with this question. How do we best give God glory? Think about the account in Luke where you have a Pharisee who is this religious like just impressive guy knows how to really live his life, right? And then you have this guy who is a tax collector and he’s known as just not being a good guy. Tax collector in those times, they worked for Rome and remember, Israel is God’s people. Rome seems like the enemy to God’s people. And so to go with Rome is to really turn away from God. And standing before God, you’ve got this Pharisee who was like, I thank you that I’m not like these other people. He’s really proud and full of himself. And then you have this tax collector who just beats his breast and he’s just so sad. And and he’s looking for God’s mercy and his forgiveness. And Jesus says that he’s the one who actually goes home, justified before God. (Luke 18:14) That God is not looking for someone who looks impressive, who has the religious life all figured out. He’s actually looking for the person who needs him.

That’s who God is wanting to help. That’s where God is glorified. Maybe even most. Think about Second Corinthians chapter 12, verses 9 to 10 especially. And so in that section, Paul is talking about how to keep him from becoming conceited, full of himself, that God had sent this thorn in his flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment him. Sounds awful, doesn’t it? Although sometimes we can probably relate. And as he sends this messenger to torment him. And what it does is it works in Paul, this realization that instead of boasting about his strengths, he’s going to boast about his weaknesses because he wants the power of God to rest on him. And when he’s weak, then God is strong. Not that God isn’t strong otherwise, but when we are weak, God’s strength shines through. When it’s totally clear that we need him it shines through so much clearer just how much he is everything for us.

When we realize that there’s nothing we can do to earn anything from God, that’s when it shines through just how much this gift of salvation is free for us. When we realize that we can’t set ourselves right with him. That’s how much the perfect life of Christ shines through. And his death on the cross and His resurrection, it shines through all the more. It’s actually in our need that God is glorified in a really special way, a way that the world around us needs. When you look at this broken world, the world around us doesn’t need necessarily to see someone who’s got it all figured out. And for them to say, okay, I can do that. I can be really good like them.

The way the world needs God’s glory to shine through is to shine through you in a way where they see that God is every single thing that we need. And that we find everything we need in Jesus. In Luke chapter 15, it says that when one sinner repents, that there is rejoicing, that there is a party in heaven. (Luke 15:7,10) Today if the spirit’s working on your heart, to point you to Jesus, to point you to the fact that you have this great need and that need is met in Jesus. When the Spirit moves in your heart in that way, there is a party going on in heaven. As you grow in your faith, yeah, as you grow and live in your faith out, yeah, you can give God glory that way. But when you recognize your need and how it’s met in Jesus, God is glorified in you. Right here, right now. Today.