Good morning. I think we all must have heard the axiom, “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. I suppose that this statement could be true at times, but I am quite sure that it is not always true. I can think of times when my actions should have taught me valuable lessons, built me into a person of greater character, made me more capable and less vulnerable. Notice that I said, “should have taught me”, because in reality I can be stubborn enough to make the same mistakes multiple times. The opportunity for gathering greater strength may have been there, but that doesn’t mean that I always avail myself of that opportunity. Can anyone else relate to such thoughts and feelings?
This same flaw finds its way into our spiritual lives as well. The sins that we survive should make us more capable in our defense of the temptations that led to those sins. Notice that I said, “should make us more capable”.
The problem occurs when we consider those lessons to be personally gained, and that we should therefore be personally stronger in our defense. Notice that I said, “personally”.
When all we have learned is filed away for personal strength, we are just as vulnerable as we had been before the lesson occurred. If, on the other hand, what we have learned is that we cannot rely on our own strength, and that our only genuine hope is to rely on the One who is our strength, then we have made progress.
In 1 Corinthians 10:13 the apostle Paul tells us: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength but with your testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it”
If we allow God to set our limits, we stay within safe boundaries. When we have decided that we have learned enough from that “school of hard knocks” to set our own limits, we are setting ourselves up for repeat failures.
Learning difficult and painful lessons is hard enough the first time we experience them, so why would we ever want to go through it again? Let God set your limits. Let Him who loves you guide you. Listen to His warnings no matter whose voice He chooses to speak through to you today.
Listen well, learn well, love well, live well in the Lord today.
Vern