wisdom and strength

*n.b Jul 28/09: On rereading the first draft (Wisdom and strenght)I want to make it clear- that in my weakness He is strong (2 Cor 12:9). And that with man - "this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible" (Mat 19:26). So that, even knowing my weaknesses has not proven to be as much as a strength as I thought, instead - knowing Christ and relying on Him daily has been the real source of strength and wisdom. *

(not sure why this was in the draft box - perhaps a bit wordy and preachy - by still so true!)
started Feb 25/07

Wisdom and strength

Today a friend asked me a difficult question. She asked – when one is in the middle of a difficult situation – how does one get out? what do you do when you’re trapped in the middle of an episode – that could be in addiction to anything – from porn, alcohol; a problem with anger.
My response is the only one that I know – and I recognise that it doesn’t answer the question: perhaps a wiser person than I knows the answer – because surely I don’t. My response is this:
Don’t wait until your in the middle – stop it at the beginning.
It’s easy to stop a parked car – you put your hand out – and there, it’s stopped… but try stopping it when it’s going at 20 miles an hour… try 50 miles, 100 miles – the force it takes to stop it is not just 100 times more – it’s on the scale of thousands. Don’t let it get there.
The way I’ve dealt with not having any willpower – is by not tempting myself. I know I’m weak – and yes, I want to be strong one day – but if I know my weakness I feel that that is my greatest strength. I know that if there are marshmallows in my house I will eat them all. Some of you might argue – well you don’t have to eat them all. you should teach yourself restraint. just have one a day or a couple a week. use them as a reward.
I say – WHY?? why put myself to the test? why tempt myself?? if I know I can’t handle it – then why should I even try to??
My strength is not in going against the thing. my strength is not gained by trying to face my fears. Nor is it in running away from them. My strength is in knowing them. I remember when I first found out about pulleys and later about machines. I still don’t understand the physics of it – the force vs the work of the thing. but I get the principle – with a little bit of work/ strength – I am able to move big things. Things which, by my strength alone I could never move.
With brain power we are able to accomplish greater things than we could ever do with just brawn. If we work smart we can get much farther ahead than the person who works frequently, or even the one who works hard. I once read a book where this video game was virtually unbeatable. you could get better and better at it – and win more battles, and lose less men – but eventually – you would lose – the only way to win was not to play.
I’m not saying that God isn’t capable of winning every battle, even if it means using me as His tool. I think what I have learned from him that my strength is not going to be in strength – but in wisdom – His wisdom. How did David slay Goliath? certainly not through his own strength. God gave him wisdom enough to know how not to fight that battle. He did not try to use Saul’s weapons or armour. He knew what his own weaknesses were – and his strengths – His strength lay in God.
They say knowledge is power – if our wisdom, knowledge and understanding is rooted and grounded in Christ – we are powerful beyond anything we can hope or imagine.
Talibah Robinson
2007-02-25

The trick of the Devil.
One of his greatest tools is isolation. Have you ever been stuck in a bad habit? stuck so well that you were afraid of what you would do if you had to stop it? and you’re afraid to ask any one for help – because you feel that you are the only one who goes through it. you feel like you will lose face among your friends, or that they will think badly of you- or be disappointed in you. This is a trick of the devil!
I’m not saying that every single person you talk to will be understanding and non-judgemental. but what I am saying is if you never talk to anyone – it’s unlikely that they will be able to help you out of it. they will not be able to add their prayers to yours unless you ask them to. So don’t let the devil fool you into believing otherwise.
One of the symptoms/ effects of an abusive relationship is isolation. An abusive partner taunts and teases and threatens- they may say:
don’t tell or I’ll beat you up
or
they may say – no one will believe you if you tell. or worse – no one will talk to you if you tell – they will blame you.
It’s easier to see it from the outside – those are lies! but from the inside it starts to make a lot of sense. you start to believe those lies because you are in a vulnerable place, because you have forgotten what the truth sounds like. But let me tell you the truth. God desires His children to be free – no longer slaves to sin. That’s why He sent His very son.

Don’t let the devil feed you his lies! He will tell you whatever it takes to make you stop looking for help. My prayer is that you take it to the Lord!
Praise God and declare the devil a liar.