Today's Devotional Thought
April 07, 2011 by Wendy Foreman
Burdened and Flawed
It is our human nature to think that we can handle everything on our own. It is difficult for many of us to admit that we may need help. In the church we should understand and realize that the Pastor, those on staff or in leadership are there to help us and encourage us in those times we are so burdened. Not only the leadership of the church can help, but many times, when you become more involved in the church the Lord leads you to others who you can trust and lean on to help carry those burdens. At the same time, if you are active in a church and especially involved in leadership, people should feel comfortable coming to you when they are burdened. While on this earth, we all will have burdens to carry, and to know that we have someone that we can go to is really an encouragement.
I>Let me stop for a minute and clarify that we still need to go to the Lord to ultimately help us but we do need Jesus with skin on sometimes to help us when we are weary on this earth.
As we look at today’s scripture, we see that the second part of this scripture says that we shouldn’t think too highly of ourselves, but that we should test our own actions. When we have done our very best in life, we can feel good about the results we see and not necessarily feel like we need to compare ourselves to someone else. People compare themselves to others for many reasons. Oftentimes, we look at someone else so we can point out everything that is wrong with them and we in turn feel better about ourselves. But, friends when we find ourselves falling into that temptation, we must stop ourselves and ask why we are turning to this behavior. None of us is perfect and it is easy to look at someone else and think they are better than us or to pick out someone’s flaws. But let me share with you that God knows we are flawed and he extends his loving acceptance to comfort us when we fall. There is no need for us to doubt if we are good enough or to be debating with God how someone is behaving even more poorly then we are.
Ladies, there is no need to compare to others. We need to be comfortable with who we are in Christ and we need to live our lives in a way that honors Him. We need to take pride that we are a child of God’s.
If you are struggling today and carrying a burden that is weighing you down, first let me share with you to pray and ask the Lord to give you wisdom and strength in handling this struggle. And then, take the time to find someone in your church (your pastor, pastor’s wife or a women’s ministry leader) to help you through this difficult time. Understand that many times they may not have the perfect answers or a cure, but they are there to encourage you in the Lord, pray with you and to guide you in His word. And sometimes, just having someone there to talk to can help so much.
December