Ahhh summer—long days, a warm breeze, patios lit by twinkle lights, evenings with friends, slow nights, and all the time in the world, right? We live at a pace where it seems that every season ends with the hope of life calming down in the next one. But for most of us, that hope quickly fades as the calendar once again fills up with responsibilities, obligations, and time commitments. For our family, we just came off one of the busiest months yet, as we navigated the waters of a graduating senior—prom, end-of-the-year ceremonies, middle-of the-night senior wake ups (a fun tradition parents could live without), college details, celebrations, and all the final lasts—in addition to maintaining the needs of the rest of our family, our full-time jobs in the marketplace, and as leaders of our church. We’ve had to catch our breath more than once. But this isn’t just our story, it’s yours too whether you’re a student, a person in the workplace, a parent, or even an empty nester. We are busy people. What do we do with everything life requires us to manage? How do we balance it all? The simple answer? We don’t. We can’t. Balance is impossible.
But for some reason, we seem to find a strange sense of satisfaction in being busy—in being stretched thin. It’s a common response when someone asks us how we are doing. We often say, “Good, just really busy!” as if our lack of margin is some kind of badge of honor. Filling every minute is not what our loving heavenly Father asks of us. In fact, he asks us to rest, to be present in his stillness, and to be quiet before him. Yes, we have seasons when the days fly by, and we are pulled in multiple directions, but the only way to manage all that is asked of us is to fully give each and every responsibility and commitment to the God who miraculously does his work to bring it all to completion. The answer to impossible balance is beautiful surrender.
But what does that look like?
In 2 Corinthians, we read that the apostle Paul—the tentmaker, the missionary, the church planter—struggled with his own weaknesses in need of surrender. Paul shares with the reader:
“On my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:5b-10
This is Paul, the great apostle, strong, bold, confident, fearless, a trailblazer…and weak? Even with the work entrusted to him, Paul needed the help of his Father to carry him, to strengthen him, and to humble him. So, what’s the formula?
The first thing we learn from Paul is to RECOGNIZE that each of us has weaknesses that must be surrendered to the person of Jesus.
Secondly, we need to RELINQUISH the gifts God has given us in exchange for the glory he is due because of them.
We then REQUEST his power to fill us in a way that only he supernaturally can.
And finally, we RECEIVE his strength to complete the work he has given us to do.
Isn’t that freeing? Can you feel the weight being lifted? Hear the chains falling? When we are fully surrendered, God’s math makes it all work. We might be required to give 60% as a parent, and 40% as a spouse, 50% to our job, 20% to our ministry or volunteer work, and 30% as a friend, and in just one day our percentage is well over 100. Throw all those percentages up in the air, and the next day they may be redistributed but the output will still be well over 100%. But when each one of those responsibilities is surrendered to the one who entrusted us with them, God, in his grace, allows all of those things to fit together perfectly so that not even one commitment steals power or life from another. Will we be tempted to pick up the to-do list again and try to check all the boxes on our own? Absolutely. Does surrender require giving up control? Without a doubt. Does God promise to complete the work HE has started in us? Every time.
As we enter this next season, let’s ask ourselves, “What are we trying to balance that we need to surrender?” Enjoy the freedom that comes with the promise in 1 Thessalonians 5:24: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” Trust him with it. Believe him for it. Watch him do it.
Worship to meditate on:
You took a stone to kill a giant
Took a staff to part the sea
And only You could do so much with ordinary things
You took a slave to tame a lion
Took a rock to make a spring
And only You would choose a shepherd boy to be a king
So I don’t have to be the strongest
‘Cause you are perfect in my weakness
If You can move a mountain with faith like a grain of mustard seed
I wonder what You could do with me
You’re the God of all creation
You’re the king above all kings
But only You would choose a rugged cross to rescue me
You’re the healer of the broken
By faith, I still believe
You took on my flesh, You conquered death
Lord, You are my victory
So I don’t have to be the strongest
‘Cause you are perfect in my weakness
If You can move a mountain with faith like a grain of mustard seed
I wonder what You could do with me
Open my eyes
Show me who I could be, Lord
Help me see
That I, I don’t have to be the strongest
‘Cause You are perfect in my weakness
Lord, if You can move a mountain with faith like a grain of mustard seed
I wonder what You could do with me
“What You Could Do with Me”
Josh Wright
Photo credit: Sarah Brossart
Becky is a lover of Jesus, a wife, and momma of three amazing teenagers. She leads Eden, a women’s gathering atAll Church, where her husband, Andy, is lead pastor. She spends her days in the biotech space and loves to spend time as the host of theLet it Be Podcast. Becky loves a good cup of coffee, a great rooftop, sunshine, and laughing with her people. She and her family reside in Cincinnati, Ohio.
