God Does Not Despise Weakness

God is not ashamed of human weakness.  He does not despise a broken and contrite heart.  

God resists a proud person.  This is one of the biggest challenges in my walk with God: I want to be good instead of being weak.  

My flesh tries to be good on its own.  Just as Peter proudly believed he wouldn't deny Yeshua three times, my flesh just wants God to be "happy with me" for being strong, good, or faithful, instead of pleased with me for embracing that I am made to be weak.

1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV — But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

The strength, goodness, and faithfulness God wants... The kind that is a gift from Him and not an outworking of the flesh... only proceeds from weakness, not the other way around.

The best thing I can do when I am failing to be what I know God wants is be REAL.  To tell God I cannot be what I should, and then ask Him to come and change me, opens me up.  It is humbling, and my flesh hates weakness, but God loves this open door to my heart.

Faith isn't expressed in only doing what I can do well.  Faith is expressed in staying in what God leads me to, especially in what I don't do well, believing God will help those who ask for His help.  If He brings me to it, He will bring me through it.  This is real faith.  Real faith is believing in who God is, not that I will be what He wants.  If I believe God is good in all my challenges that IS what He wants.  That always pleases Him. 

That faith in God demonstrates itself in doing things that are impossible for man... step by step doing small things, like breaking apart bread and fish, and seeing God do miracles, like invisibly multiplying what I am visibly just breaking apart.

Just moving forward in what seems impossible, believing God just wants my weak "yes" pleases God immensely.  Pressing forward through "problems" in my strength is the OPPOSITE of faith.  But steadily moving forward day by day in impossible situations with God IS faith.  There is a big difference between pride and faith:

Hebrews 11:6-10 NKJV — But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

The enemy is very crafty.  He is always trying to get me to resist God, thinking God is pleased with me trying to be good.  

Humans trying to be good never pleases God... That is what broke everything.  If Adam and Eve would have just cried out to God instead of eating what would make them better, all sin could have been avoided! (But God had a better plan)

God knows I cannot be good. He just wants me open and honest. Freedom comes, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly, but only as I open up to God. Never as I try to be good for God.

James 4:5-8 NKJV — Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

I just need to settle that I need God for everything... Breathing, heart beating, eating, thinking, tying my shoes, dealing with difficult people, messes I made, and a navigating a sometimes hostile world.  He's kept me so far. He isn't planning to stop now!  Then everything becomes much more possible as I do my tiny part of saying yes and He does His amazing part of making everything work.