refreshing words {his strength in our weaknesses}.

i was thumbing through jesus calling tonight, my ultimate favorite devotional, and came across this reading i remember seeing this summer. it just spoke perfectly to my heart tonight, and i had to share it.

as i've written about before, seven years ago my dad was diagnosed with a rare liver disease. he's probably had six beers in his entire life, so it has nothing to do with alcohol. just one of those fluke things in life that doesn't seem fair. it's been a hard journey over the years for all of us to trust god in our fears, to accept this turn of events, and to watch dad suffer and grow more and more sick.

i guess you never know what you can handle until you're in the middle of it and you're still surviving. that's how the past couple of weeks have been for me, my mom and my sister. my dad's health has gone downhill so fast. he's been hospitalized in boston for over a week now, his disease aggressive and progressing. we don't know what's next... sometimes it seems hopeless... other times i can barely see what the next moment holds, let alone tomorrow, next week, or next month.

that's why this reading spoke to beautifully to my heart tonight:

"come to me when you are weak and weary. rest snugly in my everlasting arms. i do not despise your weakness, my child. actually, it draws me closer to you, because weakness stirs up my compassion--my yearning to help. accept yourself in your weariness, knowing that i understand how difficult your journey has been.

do not compare yourself with others, who seem to skip along their life paths with ease. their journeys have been different from yours, and i have gifted them with abundant energy. i have gifted you with fragility, providing opportunities for your spirit to blossom in my presence. accept this gift as a sacred treasure: delicate, yet glowing with brilliant light. rather than struggling to disguise or deny your weakness, allow me to bless you richly through it."

(isaiah 42:3, isaiah 54:10, romans 8:26)

the beautiful words of jesus. what i'm clinging to now and always.