Wonderful Weakness

Wonderful Weakness

From EDIFIED, written in 2007
 
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him….”
Psalm 37:5a
 
After months of negotiation, planning and prayer for launching our internet-based English tutoring sales, a big red flag appeared on the horizon. Since we as foreigners are not allowed to sell educational materials here directly, we are required to partner with a local company. This we have done, and things seemed to be moving along quite well, with agreements on pricing, marketing, commissions and advertising all in place.
 
The owner of the company has lots of experience in marketing, has a wide circle of influential acquaintances and business people, and was willing to put up all the capital needed for the venture.
However, after all the good progress, contrary to his word, he suddenly switched printers (he’d promised to use our friend) and then became unreachable. If he made such a move with the printer, what might he do with the rest of his commitment?
We had to bring this whole venture before the Lord and surrender it again, coming to the point of being willing to give up this partnership if that is what the Lord wanted. The Lord brought to mind George Mueller’s prayer principle, the gist of which is, “When asking the Lord for something, I bring myself to the point where if He gives me a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’, to me it is the same.”
After all the work, the emotional investment and the high hopes we had for this project, it was a challenge to come to such a surrender. In reality, God was showing us that here was an idol in the making, something we were demanding to be happy. The question is: were we willing to have it sacrificed so that God’s higher purposes may be accomplished?
The Spirit reminded me that this was another opportunity to be weak (we could do nothing until the man decided to contact us again), to live the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 where God said”…my power is made perfect in weakness…” and follow Paul’s example in his response, “…therefore I will delight in weaknesses, hardships, insults, persecutions and difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
We had to wait several days for a resolution to the impasse, and during that time had the opportunity to rest in God and think Truth (“My soul finds rest in God alone,” Ps. 62:1), continually surrendering our desire to Him. In the end things worked out and all was resolved—but more important than the resolution is the deeper surrender and new breaking God brought into our lives through this. May His will always prevail.
 
Prayer: “Lord, point out the idols in my life, help me to hold all with an open hand, to be willing to accept whatever you desire for me, to praise in and for all that you bring into my life. Amen.”