July 16

2 Corinthians 3:5
5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.

Life is a struggle, but what most people don't realize is that our struggle, like Jacob's in Genesis 32:22-32, is really with God! We want to be God, and there's no way we're going to win that struggle, but we try anyway.

A.W. Tozer said, "The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders, and interfering with God's work within us."

We aren't God, and we never will be. We're humans, and the times when we try to be God are the times we end up most like Satan, who tried to be equal with God, too.

We accept our humanity intellectually, but not emotionally. We give mental assent to the idea, but when faced with our own limitations, we react with irritation, anger, and resentment. We want to be taller (or shorter), smarter, stronger, more talented, beautiful, and wealthy.

We want to have it all and do it all, and become upset when it doesn't happen. Then, when we notice God gave others characteristics we don't have, we respond with envy, jealousy, and self-pity.

C. S. Lewis observed, "The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become - because he made us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own."

When we try and attempt to do what God is suppose to do, we'll always fall short and fail. We have to trust in God and surrender our lives to Him if we want to know ourselves better, and grow with Christ. God will lead the way, and if we surrender everything to Him, everything will be taken care of.
God also made each of us the way we are for a reason. Just because He did not give a quality that we want so badly, doesn't mean He doesn't care for our needs, there was a reason God made us this way. Everything was done for a reason, and God knows exactly why.
We have to accept that as human beings we will always be flawed in some way, cause it's not possible for one to be perfect in every way. That's how God made us, imperfectly perfect, and God will help us see past this and help us grow with Him, to the best we can be, only if we surrender to God.

We accept our humanity intellectually, but not emotionally. But when we face our own limitations we become emotional and ask why. We tend to ask why do I suffer when i do good things, how come that person has all that but I have nothing. We become envious of other people because of what they have or because of their characteristics. When we see that someone has a trait or thing that we don't have, we feel some sort of emotion. But it says that the more we let God take us over, the more true ourselves become. God created all of us differently and didn't intend us to be all the same. How dull would that be everyone being the same. We shouldn't feel envious because someone has something you don't have but we should be thankful that we have our own traits that some people may not have.

I find this concept interesting, as I think that God is equal, but not fair. Equal as in having ALL people imperfect, but not to a certain degree. He uses this, to give us a choice on how to live our lives each and everyday. Rather than envying one another, He made it so that we're given the opportunity to fall at His feet. Having that mentality is so crucial, surrendering ourselves to God as a way of living life. Although we depend on one another, it isn't the same level as our dependence upon God, as we live a life of humility. Telling God that we can't run the race on our own, as well as showing Him that we'll die trying.

I guess in short this verse reflects upon the position of ourselves and God.

God gives us these expectation to meet up on, and trying to do them on our own is pretty futile. I think we should keep in mind that we should always ask for God's help and guidance before going in headfirst into one of our biggest struggles in life; obeying his orders.

As humans, we have so many wants and complaints in life. It's typical how people will focus on what they don't have other than what they already do have. Jealousy, envy, doubt, disappintment all are human characteristics we have until we surrender to God. Humans somewhat have a need for independence. This is where most failures happen. We think we are aware and can take care of ourselves in this world without God. We are still learning and growing so how can we be independent?
People need to come to that realization of the importance in our relationship with God. He is our teacher, father, and one and only God.
There is no one better to follow and trust than him.
~Audrey~