These are three things I’ve learned in 38 years of learning. This is not an exhaustive list. I know other things than these three, like how to tie my own shoes, that chocolate is very good, etc. But these three pretty much cover where I am right now.

1) I am not nearly as good or strong or wise as I thought I was. This is not an invitation to my pity party. This is true humility, which is just me being honest about me before God and before you. I am weak and prone to temptation, yet at the same time full of pride. I am a walking set of contradictions. But this makes the second truth all the more glorious, and that truth is this:

2) God is way better and stronger and wiser than I could ever have hoped or imagined or dreamed. He is not a bigger, faster, better version of me. He is Totally Other, separate and distinct from me. He is holy, which means that He is perfect, and can only do and be and say perfection. That could be a problem, since I am nowhere near good enough to even be in His presence. But that leads to the best truth of all:

3) God is for me and He will always take care of me. He knows the plans He has for me. And His plans for me are just as perfect as He is. They may not always look like the best, or even look like God’s plans sometimes. God may wound me, but the same God who wounds me can heal my wounds. He is totally and infinitely trustworthy.

So my part in all this is to stay trusting and surrendered. To let God be God in and through me.

I love this quote from Roy Hession from his book The Calvary Road. It sums all this up perfectly.

“The simple truth is that the only beautiful thing about the Christian is Jesus Christ. God wants us to recognize that fact as true in our experience, so that in true brokenness and self-despair we shall allow Jesus Christ to be our righteousness and holiness and all in all– and that is victory.”