My Left Arm


 I'm right handed, and, I guess that makes me right-armed. If I'm cutting down a tree in my yard, I use my right hand to hold the saw and my right arm to pull and push. That's how I've done it forever. Clip bushes with my right hand, throw rocks with my right arm, pull weeds with my right hand and right arm. I'm a "righty."

 Well, until recently; when I suffered a yard-work injury. This injury caused great pain in my right arm, rendering it weak and fairly useless. No more cutting trees, clipping bushes, pulling a rake with the right hand on the bottom of the handle. Actually, that's not true; there's a solution to this problem. You see, I have two arms. Call the other arm, my left one, Mr. Neglected. The unused arm. 

 It's not a bad arm; just underutilized. But not anymore! Since the downfall of Mr. Preferred (my right arm), I've found that, with a little use and training, my left arm can be quite useful. And not only that, that "gun" is growing in agility, strength, and size. The usefulness of my left arm has allowed it to become better as well as given my right arm much needed rest.

 Paul realized something very important; he had grasped an amazing perspective on weakness and difficulty. Paul gave us a peek into a conversation the Lord was having with him one day, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"

 Power made perfect. Or, you could say, strength made perfect in our weakness. My right arm went weak, my left arm grew strong. Now both arms are well on their way to being equally strong. And that is what the Lord does with us. He graciously removes a crutch from our lives, deals us a trial, or puts us in a situation that requires more than we have. His strength being made perfect.

 So don't, please don't, be discouraged at the weakness you may be facing or seeing in yourself. There is a plan in this - a good plan. God is working His strength in you. For when we are increased, when we are present and strong, He is faded to the background. But when we decrease, when we become keenly and strongly aware of our own weakness, only then can we boast; only then can we see Him rise up in His power.

 Be glad, rejoice, say "yeehah!" His strength, His power, is being perfected in your weakness.

 (Greeting Cards by Audrey Furcinitti)

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