With Independence Comes Great Responsibility

“With great power comes great responsibility.” Thank yoooou, Spiderman.

As much as I’d like to brush off Uncle Ben’s momentous movie quote, I can’t really deny that it’s a small but bloody brilliant tidbit of truth.
And I need to stop shoving that tidbit down everyone else’s throat.

This summer, I’ve fallen into the category of being truly independent. Independence is a strange sort of power. And with it comes a plethora of responsibilities. Well I promised myself I’d accomplish lots of things this summer. I also promised myself I wouldn’t fail at any single one of them. I convinced myself I could be that invincible. Buuuuut, I’m human. I’m a sinner. That isn’t an excuse—I suppose it’s just life. It’s who I am. However, instead of accepting the fact that I’m broken, I try to cover that up and tell God yet another time that I am, in fact, able to accomplish things without him. That I don’t need him. Well, I do. Waaaaay more than I will probably ever be able to admit. Or even realize.

“Okay God, here I am. Help me acknowledge my weaknesses. I’m so awful at trusting you. Thank you for grace, and for your impeccable timing in bringing me to my knees. Thank you for humbling me daily. Help me to find my weaknesses and help me to realize that you have a purpose for me still. Help me to grow even in those weaknesses. Help me to see your power in my life. Help me to listen to you. And most importantly, help me to be more obedient and less stubborn. Help me to see your grace and help me to honor, glorify, serve, and imitate you every day. Every single moment.”

I just shared the following verse with someone else. And it made me realize how quick I am to prescribe verses. Like the Bible is medicine (of course, in some ways I suppose the two are somewhat comparable). Except I haven’t even taken it in myself.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Sometimes, (actually, quite often) I have to fall flat on my face in order to realize what’s right in front of me. I need that moment where I’m picking myself up off the ground. I need that misery. I need that pain. I need that humiliation. I need it to see where I am and what I’ve done. I need it, so that when I lift up my eyes, I’m finally looking straight ahead. I’m finally looking where God wanted my focus the whole time. I need that moment, to gaze in the eyes of Christ. To see his grace and love in my moment of defeat, transformed into a blessed moment of significant growth.
Our God is a patient and gracious God.

He has given me strength. Even strength in my weaknesses. I have this strength. To be courageous, confident, and unwavering. I rest upon a solid foundation. God holds my heart and feet steady. He has made me immovable, but given me faith to move mountains.

I have a lot of independence this summer. And with that, a lot of responsibility. Particularly to myself.

It’s a very important part of growing up. And it’ll be a summer chock-full of challenges. But I have a God who is faithful, who is gracious, and who is loving. Loving enough to grow me even in my obstinance. And who holds me, and shows me overwhelming His love and grace, even when I’ve fallen flat on my face.
I have a Father whose power is made perfect in my weakness. And I am humbled and grateful that I can still glorify him in all my imperfections.
I am so small. But even still, He gives my life significance.