Down Days: Insults and Difficulties

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - Dealing with Down Days

I went through a three-day down period not too long ago. It was humbling for me to have wasted all that time. I don't have the time to waste, and it made my schedule much more difficult. But I was reminded of my weakness, and when I recognize and admit my weakness, then God's power can be perfected in me.

A second purpose for my down days was to teach me to delight in insults and in difficulties.

In 2 Corinthians 12:10 it says:

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.

I don't know how that verse strikes you, but I wanted to say to the Apostle Paul, "Who are you kidding? You want me to believe that you delight in all these bad things? I can believe you endure them, but to delight in them–you must be from another planet, Paul."

Wouldn't you know that during this down period I received a very pointed insult–in writing nonetheless. And when I read it, I can assure you I didn't say, "Oh, I delight in this insult." No! It made me angry and it was unfair, as well as potentially harmful.

But as I pondered this verse and my situation, I realized that I really should be delighted in my insult. You see, I'd been feeling very good about my performance and subtly I was beginning to feel very confident, maybe even a little "cocky." And I didn't even realize it! So God, in His graciousness, allowed me to receive an insult–timed just exactly right, to show me this problem before it got out of hand.

I can honestly tell you that I was finally able to rejoice in that insult. Not at first, but as I saw it through God's eyes, then I was able to thank Him for showing me again–really rather painlessly–that it's only when I'm weak that I am strong. It's only when I recognize my need for Him that His power can operate in me.

Yes, we can learn a lot in and through down periods. If you're going through one today, look for the lessons God wants to teach you. Ask Him to help you see them. They're there. And when you look for His lessons, you turn the pain into gain and make a difficult situation a growing situation.