Strength in Our Weakness

Hey...I just wanted to share with you something I have been learning over the last little while. We don`t have to be great, we don`t have to be amazingly talented...we don`t even have to be good....God is able to use us in ALL our weaknesses to do stuff for His Kingdom. Isn`t that such a humbling thought?

Well I have been truly humbled and also truly thankful for this truth just recently. One of my favourite Casting Crowns` songs deals with this topic...."Voice of Truth". In that song, the writer basically talks about how the devil tries to make us believe that because we are weak and untalented that God can`t use us and, more to the point, doesn`t want to use us. BUT....it is really a matter of what voice we want to listen to. Do we want to listen to the devil and take on a defeatist attitude...that we are really untalented, and unable to do things for God...or do we choose to listen to the Voice of Truth?

But the voice of truth tells me a different story,
the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid."
The voice of truth says "This is for MY glory."
Out of all the voices calling out my name,
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.

Just recently, I have been hearing the devil`s voice. He tells me...."Louise, seriously what do you think you can do for God over here in Japan? Look at you...you can`t even speak the language! How can you hope to make friendships with these people who you can`t even communicate with?" He goes on to tell me how I suck at teaching English. He says...."yea you thought you were good at English, you had it all too easy back in NZ...coz you had a common language, but now you`re thrown into this foreign culture, foreign language...and you finally discover the truth, you`re not talented...in fact you`re pretty useless."

The devil`s pretty convincing at times. But even though it is easy to listen to his voice and believe the lies he tells me...recently I have been choosing to listen to the voice of truth. God`s voice tells me that....Ok, so my English teaching is challenging because of the language barrier, so my lessons don`t always go to plan...so I`m not an amazing English teacher who is amazingly talented....but God can take all that weakness and make it count for His Kingdom.

Last night, I was pondering these things on the way home from a tough day teaching. God really blessed me yesterday despite my weaknesses. He gave opportunities to strengthen already growing friendships with my adult class members. He is truly good...and his voice is reassuring me that I am not wasting my time. He can use me....even me....for His perfect purposes. I am truly humbled!