Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "What Is Important in Life?" for Tuesday, 26 August 2014 - Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "What Is Important in Life?" for Tuesday, 26 August 2014 - Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
The human spirit will endure sickness; but a broken spirit — who can bear?(Proverbs 18:14 (NRSV))
One wonderful summer morning I went out for a walk. I went in a wheelchair because this is the only way I can move. A man came up behind me and said, “I don’t envy you.” I kept going, smiling and thinking that he should envy me! What a shame, I thought, that people often don’t see what is really important in life. Health problems are seen as a huge calamity while problems with the soul go unnoticed and the other gifts of God are not valued.
God has blessed me so abundantly! I live with my dad who is called the best father in the world by everyone who knows him. We have an apartment, and we each have our own room. I have friends who enrich my life. I live in a country where, after 70 years of religious persecution, there is now freedom of belief, and I have come to God. My daughter is studying at a university, and recently she and her fiancé got married in our church. I simply cannot find words of gratitude to God for all that he has given me. No, I can’t walk; but I have so many other joys in my life. Most importantly, I have the Lord.
The Author: Galina Samson (Voronezh, Russia)
Thought for the Day: Today I will find joy in God’s gifts.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to see your grace and mercy in our lives. We pray as Jesus taught us, saying, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil” (Luke 11:2-4, kjv). Amen.
Prayer focus: People with health problems
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