Not my stregnth.

Ever have to open a jar of something that is ridiculously tight? You try and try, but just can’t seem to snap it open. You run it under water, and grab a piece of cloth or something to try and get a grip on it, convinced you can do it. You even risk having the contents splatter every where just to prove we can get it open. Eventually some one else offers to help, or even worse you have to humble yourself to go out and hand over the jar and say “can you try and open this, I just can’t.” and with one try, pop and that baby is opened. Instead of refusing to admit that person could have been stronger, we claim we loosened it up or some how validate our incompetency. But actually wouldn’t it have been easier if from the beginning we acknowledged we weren’t capable and asked for help.
Sometimes humbling yourself to admit you just can’t do it is harder than continuing to try, or even picking up the mess when we make trying to do it on our own efforts.

Frankly I have begun to realize one of the hardest things in following a life pleasing to the Lord is humility. I mean honestly who wants to admit they can’t do it on their own strength. But the truth is that none of us can. And either we face the fact or continue to fight it and hide our weakness.

We are designed by God to be incomplete, and incapable. We all need him. We need His power and strength to do it all. You can’t stop sinning with out His strength and guidance. You can’t pay your bills, or get out of debt without His provision. You can’t move on from the past with out His grace and love. You can’t change who you are with out His refining process.

Philippians 4:13 is a pretty popular encourager, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” But contextually this verse means so much more. Paul is talking about his struggles, and flat out says he has experienced being in need and having more than enough. But he goes on to say that he has realized how to be content in all circumstances. And that contentment comes from realizing he must rely on Christ, for through him he does have strength.

God has sent His son, and has provided a way for us to have a counselor with at all times, His sprit. Because of this we have the ability to lean on Christ’s strength, and we can do it.

But it is not until we realize, we can’t do it alone that we are able to turn to God’s power.

In the mean time you may choose to continue and try and do it bye yourself, and to be honest I can’t say that it will all end up bad (at least looking from the outside) but I can tell you your heart may be worn, and your muscles may ache.

Luckily God is willing to provide, all you have to do is ask.

Get some one to open those jars, and try this slightly adjusted take on Chicken Bellagio from the Cheesecake Factory. (Adjust amount of pasta, chicken and sauce to your needs)

Chicken Bellagio

• Thin chicken breast cutlets
• Angel hair pasta
• Bread crumbs
• 1 Egg
• Olive oil
• Rago light parmesan alfredo
• Jar of pesto
• Garlic (minced, or chopped)

Pour olive oil into frying pan, enough to coat. Dip chicken breast in egg then bread crumbs and put in the pan on low heat. Cook until no longer pink in the center.

Boil pasta. In small pot heat alfredo, and slowly mix pesto. Add the garlic to the sauce mixture. Combine the sauce with the pasta. Serve with the chicken cutlets.

If desired add spinach or arugula greens and prosciutto on top (to make more like the Cheesecake factory dish)

Eat, drink and be transformed by His strength!