The gardening life is full of surprises. It yields good surprises like volunteer tomato plants that show up among the squashes from last year’s random self-seeding—and bad surprises such as the utter gluttony of one woodchuck who feels entitled to our green bean plants.
This year’s best gardening surprise has been the unexpected results of my daily exercises! For the past year, I’ve been following a daily regimen of exercises designed to ward off (or at least delay) the insidious advance of Parkinson’s disease, not realizing that this spring I would receive the gift of improved flexibility and stamina for weeding.
Without even realizing it, I was putting myself in a position to receive strength, and I’m convinced that this is an invitation God makes good on in every minute of our following life:
From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 64:4)
Waiting for God to work, we put ourselves in a position to receive strength that is not our own. To our joyful surprise, we learn that waiting, showing up with our minor faithfulness, is not a sign of powerlessness, for isn’t all human strength derivative after all? We operate from given-strength.
The strength God gives to his people for godly living, for obedience, for kicking ourselves out of the center of the universe allows us to receive his holiness rather than striving for it. We live in partnership with God.
I see this most clearly in the post-yes panic that comes with almost every new writing assignment. Right now, I’m working toward an August 1 deadline for an article on a specific topic for Desiring God. My excitement over a new challenge is immediately followed by panic: “What was I thinking? I don’t have anything to say about this topic! I’m a fraud!”
Panic comes from my feeling of powerlessness because I’ve forgotten the givenness of everything I do. If I write in partnership with God, my right response is to turn toward him, put myself in a position to receive, wait for wisdom that is not my own, and trust the partnership.
You and I can join Amy Carmichael in this prayer:
Love through me, Love of God.
Make me like Thy clear air
Through which, unhindered, colors pass
As if it were not there.”
If the assignment from God is to love the insufferable person in my life, “Love through me.”
If I’m up against a deadline and feeling wordless, “Write through me.”
If I have an opportunity to speak wisdom into a fraught conversation, “Speak through me.”
If a situation needs prayer, but I don’t know what to ask, “Pray through me.”
Animated by the love of God, we take the strength he gives, and we do more in our weakness than we could ever accomplish on our own power.
Question for You:
I gave voice to four examples of given-strength using four verbs: love, write, speak, and pray. What verbs would you add to the list from your own specific circumstances? I think we can all help one another with examples of how we are putting ourselves in the position to receive.
The strength God gives to his people for godly living, for kicking ourselves out of the center of the universe allows us to receive his holiness rather than striving for it. We live in partnership with God.
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See all my Given—One Word 2024 posts here.
And Now, Let’s Talk Books…
Luci Shaw keeps on demonstrating that there is no expiration date on a thriving life or a lively mind. Her new poetry collection, Reversing Entropy, reads like field notes for the distracted or the cynical, a user’s manual for the soul in need of permission to stop, pay attention, and live in hope.
Shaw inhabits a worldview that has not prevented her from viewing the world in all its beauty. Watching for wonder every “God-blessed, lucky day,” it finds her in fragrant lilies, fluttering birds, the day’s “bright overtures of light,” and the annual astonishment of spring.
Since she often writes her poems on the fly, I always receive her poetry collections as a vicarious travelogue. However, one does not live for ninety-plus years without experiencing loss. Shaw pays somber tribute to “the jagged narrative” of her brother’s long life with all its achievement alongside its stormy failure.
As she ages, it’s clear that her eyes have turned toward a rich future in which “entropy will be utterly reversed” by God’s generous outpouring of true life. “Such a spendthrift God we have!”
Holding you in the light,
There is no expiration date on a thriving life or lively mind. Luci Shaw’s new book reads like field notes for the distracted or cynical, for the soul needing permission to stop, pay attention, and live in hope. @paracletepress
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As you know, I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and it’s my goal to help you along that path. At Living Our Days, I provide biblical content and resources to encourage biblical literacy and faithful living, and now I’m sharing devotional content on the YouVersion app. Visit my profile page to get free access to the reading plans!
I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees. If you should decide to purchase any of the books or products I’ve shared, simply click on the image, and you’ll be taken directly to the seller. If you decide to buy, I’ll receive a few pennies at no extra cost to you.
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Living Our Days 
I have been in the doldrums of writing for a while now. It’s due to many troubles our family has faced. But God! These are the two words that help me crawl forward when I can’t walk. He helps me do what seems impossible, and it is good. Although I must confess I preferred it when the words came easy and writing was a joyful exercise. Maybe I’m learning strength in weakness as you have discovered, Michele. I am certain it is all good. I just find it uncomfortable.
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I’m sorry to hear that you are traveling through the wilderness with family concerns. Just last weekend, I shared a little workshop at a writer’s retreat that focused on writing from our weakness.
God never changes. What is true of him is always true, but somehow we are enabled to see him as refuge, to see his sufficiency and faithfulness better when we’re diminished in some way.
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Michele,
This is so true. Maybe writing from my weakness is producing something I wouldn’t have otherwise. Thank you.
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Praying that this will be the case!
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My verbs would be much the same, minus speaking. I was just wishing recently that I could remove the nervousness preparatory to an opportunity. But then I realized that made me realize my need of God all the more.
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If we ever start imagining ourselves adequate to the task, we’re on dangerous ground, I think. He enables and empowers in spite of our weakness.
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Each day presents challenges unique to the day 🙂 I am grateful the Lord provides exactly the strength needed as it arises. At times, we aren’t even aware of just how much strength we need but He knows, He is faithful, and He provides. “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine with 10, 000 beside.” May He bless you with the gift of the words He would have you to write as you meet your deadline!
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Oh, thank you, Joanne! I’m grateful for his faithfulness—and for the encouragement of friends!
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Michele, this post has been such an encouragement to me this week. I am delighted that your diligence in exercising is paying off in unexpected ways. What a blessing and a gift! And I’m glad I’m not the only one who experiences that “post-panic yes” when accepting a new assignment. I felt something very similar after taking on a type of freelance writing that I haven’t done for many years, plus another big project this spring. Once I got into the groove I was fine, but at first? Phew! And then later I realized, much as you did with your exercises, how God had used those assignments to prepare me for something else. He always knows just what we need and is gracious, as you have said, to give us strength for the next thing.
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It sounds as if you’re in God’s school and acing the curriculum, Lois! I’m glad to hear that you’re finding him faithful in all these new and exciting challenges.
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This is encouraging, Michele. We are never doing life alone. And it is through His strength that we can continue on. And that is often my voice to His given-strength, to carry-on even when I think I have nothing to offer.
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Yes, “carry on” in confidence! That’s such a faith-filled stance, Lynn.
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Hurray for the strength to weed, Michele, revealing God’s provision in a new way! With you I have OFTEN–make that ALWAYS–suffered from post-yes panic! First drafts of writings or talks can be downright painful to write. Columnist Dorothy Parker expressed it this way: “I hate writing. I love having written!”
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Oh, is that who first said that wise statement? I agree! The empty page seems to call forth all the self doubt and impostor syndrome. I’m sorry you also suffer from the affliction, but I must admit that I find it comforting that I’m not alone!
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There’s disagreement whether she said it first, but that’s whose name I most often see in connection with this quote. I should have mentioned, I find it comforting that you struggle too! Your finished posts and newsletters always present with polish and clarity!
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😍 Thank you, Nancy!
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I would include the word obedience. I know it’s not a verb, but if we are going to do all God wants us to do & be all that He wants us to be, we must start with obedience to His call.
One Word #4
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I appreciate this suggestion, and it’s a powerful one, even if it’s a noun. It’s our first duty as children, servants, and soldiers!
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To your list of four verbs, I’d add: show up. That’s where I often find miracles in the given-strength practice. Just showing up is a spiritual discipline for me. Beautiful post, Michele.
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And I have often benefited from the written accounts of your willingness to show up, so thank you for sharing them and for adding this suggestion.
Suzanne Stabile includes showing up in her four mantras, (Show Up, Pay Attention, Tell the Truth, and Don’t Get Attached to the Results) so you are in very good company!
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