Expectations

But He said to me, “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can live in me. II Corinthians 12:9 (NCV)

Last summer I was privileged to spend several weeks in Ethiopia, and God is still revealing the lessons behind what He showed me while I was there.

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I have to admit I am. The majority of things He showed me weren’t what I expected. Oh, I tried to go with an open mind—I even told several people I didn’t have any expectations. But, as always happens with my best intentions, preconceived notions had crept in unaware.

I had expected to be exhausted when I got home—a perfectly logical, harmless expectation that seemed to make perfect sense at the time. After all, working for God was hard and would take all my strength.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

• What I found was that I wasn’t working FOR God—He was working THROUGH me.
• He hadn’t sent me there to do something FOR Him. He had sent me there to do something IN me—and then to use it to touch others.
• I immediately realized that I couldn’t accomplish a thing with all MY strength—but when I relied on GOD’S strength I saw miracles.

These truths brought with them a time of refreshing and a miraculous freedom. It was a veritable flood of blessings in the dry, dusty continent of Africa. With it came a freedom that could only come through total dependence. I had no control over where I stayed, what I ate, or even the work assigned to me.

And it was absolutely glorious. I experienced the truth that when I let go—then and only then—everything falls into place . . . and I pray I will never be the same.

Dear Lord, I pray that as each day passes we’ll learn to let go and become more reliant upon you. That we’ll open ourselves up to your power flowing through us and that we’ll never be the same.

Photo courtesy of Edie Melson

Edie Melson

Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy. She’s also the Military Family Blogger at Guideposts. Com, Social Media Director for Southern Writers Magazine and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect with her on Twitter (@EdieMelson) and Facebook (Edie Mahoney Melson).

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