It's Not By Might, Nor By Power

Right around Christmas time, I decided it would be a good idea to craft...A LOT...sign up for a few boutiques and try to earn some money to pay a couple of bills or use for Christmas shopping.  Makes sense, right?  I prayed it over, and went on my merry, crafting way.

My kids learned to eat dinner at the coffee table.  My son, who is being homeschooled, learned to do schoolwork next to the dining room table, (that's the table we usually use for schooling purposes), and my husband wondered if the mess would ever go away.  I felt more and more guilty, all the while convincing myself (or trying to anyway) that God wanted me to do this for them.  "I" was 'helping.'  So if we suffered through a bit, "I" would be able to relieve some of the financial burden of the holidays.  "I" was going to fix it!

Three boutiques, and several hours of work, later I had made a little bit of money.  Would it cover one bill?  Sure.  Was it worth the time, energy, and frustration?  Never. 

I felt so discouraged.  I kept praying and asking God why it wasn't working out.  Didn't He know my heart?  Didn't He want me to help out financially?  Didn't He understand how frustrated I was? 

A friend of mine, before the final boutique, had said something that really hit home. "If God only wants me to make $20, then that's enough, because He knows $20 is all I need right then."  So true.  I kept reminding myself of her words and praying that God would help me to accept them and let go of everything else.

The kids and I enjoyed listening to Psalty's Christmas Calamity during the holiday season.  An album I listened to as a little girl, and a message that I pray I can hold on to forever...It's not by (my) might, nor by (my) power, but by HIS spirit that problems are resolved.

On the cd, Psalty and the kids run into a little dilemma when they are trying to rehearse songs for their Christmas Eve service.  They try everything, except prayer, to fix their problem.  After the kids go home, discouraged, Psalty is left alone and hears the Lord speaking to him.  God explains that the problem isn't with the music, but with Psalty's heart.  He explains that Psalty, (who is a singing songbook, btw), has been putting faith in his own pages, rather than in God.  Hello light bulb!! 

Once Psalty recognizes the error of his ways and decides to trust in Jesus, the 'God voice' sings, "Fix it.  I'm gonna fix it.  You just put your trust in me and I will fix it..."  Then Psalty replies, "Lord I'll put my trust in you, that's the best thing I can do.  I will walk by faith and not by sight, you'll fix it."  Ahhh...such simple songs and simple words, and yet so powerful.  How sad is it that a children's Christmas album, was what it took to humble me and bring me to tears of repentance?  I suppose it's true...the Holy Spirit uses whatever opportunity He can to reach our hearts. 

I then realized that my prayer to help out by crafting, was somewhat thoughtlessly lifted to God, and I never really listened for His answer or guidance.  Instead I tried to fix things on my own.  The $22 that I made at my first boutique, really was just enough.  God knew that I needed to be humbled.  He knew I was missing the point, and rather than bless my socks off through great sales, He knew I needed to be blessed by depending on Him. 

He can take the difficult times in our lives, and what we consider to be our failures, and use them as wonderful teaching opportunities if we let Him.  My prayer for my life and yours, is that we recognize those opportunities and learn from them, rather than be discouraged by them, because those are the opportunities He will use to draw us closer to Him.:)

Have an amazing week!!