True
Grit
When
I worked at the hospital, I would go into a patient’s room who was watching
cowboy movies, and I would wish I was home covered in a fluffy blanket watching
them myself. From a distance they looked so uncomplicated, but I can’t say they
were really all that relaxing as I watch them now, since in just one episode, several
people were shot, hanged for stealing a horse, or dragged by a horse until they
were nearly dead. Oh, and how could I forget the cattle stampedes that mangled
some poor cattle driver in a deadly accident, or was it really an accident?
I
will say it took grit to go out west and deal with all the danger and very
uncomfortable conditions. Many people risked their life picking up their
belongings and putting them in a covered wagon and heading west. Indians on the
warpath caused a constant fear, but still there is grit. Even so many even died
before they arrived at their new home.
How
many of us have “grit”? Are Christians supposed to have “grit”? It made me
wonder if this is a good thing or bad.
There
is that scripture that comes from 2 Corinthians.
“And
he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength, with God, making
all things perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
The
question now is, “Can we have this weakness and still have grit?” Can we be
tempted to be proud when we have what some say is grit? First, I don’t think
weakness is self-loathing or feeling downtrodden, but a realization of who we
are in Christ. It is knowing who we are and who we are not. We are not God and
to see that next to him we are weak is our invitation to humility.
The definition of grit usually includes such
words as courage, strength, and passion. Perseverance and dedication round out
the characteristics of a person with true grit.
I
think Paul is one who had true grit, yet he knows he is weak, according to scripture.
After Paul asked for God to remove his “thorn” he realized that weakness gives
us a dependence on our God. When we think about grit did Paul himself have
grit? We all know he persevered through his trials, persecution and finally
execution. He was determined to spread the gospel to Gentiles all the while his
face was set toward Rome where he would be tortured and die. In Christ Paul had
true grit that might have been born out of weakness.
If
we take a look at people who are known for having grit there is one thing they all
have in common. Think of Paul! Before Paul could have grit he had to have a
passion and Paul’s passion was Jesus. When we have a passion for winning souls
to Jesus it might start with a fear or weakness to testify about our journey to
finding Christ. In this passage, he is saying that through your weakness, strength
comes forth from our Lord. It is a God given grit or determination to do the
will of the Father.
Have
I waited for Jesus to turn my weakness to grit? Does the power of Christ rest
on me?
Happy
Trails to You!