As God calls us to obedience, he remembers that we are only dust, but we keep forgetting. We think that with a wish, a sprinkle of fairy dust, a great quiet time and some prayer, we can all be spiritual heroes and do great things for God. We couldn’t be more wrong, and as a result, we are devastated when reality crashes into fantasy day after grueling day.
Duguid, Barbara; Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in our Weakness; P&R Publishing; Philippsburg, NJ; copyright 2013; Page 78
We are taught that it is within our power to allow or inhibit God’s work of sanctification in our lives, so that our progress in personal holiness is up to us. If we try harder and cooperate with God, we can succeed and achieve virtual perfection, becoming spiritual princes and princesses. If we choose not to be fully committed to God, however, he is powerless to change us and can’t possibly bless us as he longs to.
That view ascribes far too much power to people who are actually weak and full of sin.
Duguid, Barbara; Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in our Weakness; P&R Publishing; Philippsburg, NJ; copyright 2013; Page 77
We are profoundly confused about what God expects of us and what we are actually capable of achieving in this life. This confusion, though tragic, is not surprising. We Americans in particular live in a culture that teaches us from our youngest days in preschool that simply believing something makes it true, and that no one can stop us from reaching our dreams.
Duguid, Barbara; Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in our Weakness; P&R Publishing; Philippsburg, NJ; copyright 2013; Page 74
Most of us are experts at hiding our weakness. It’s no fun to be weak, and we work hard to deny our weakness to ourselves and to hide it from others. This is an enormous problem for us as Christians, and it causes chaos and pain in our own and others’ lives.
– Duguid, Barbara; Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in our Weakness; P&R Publishing; Philippsburg, NJ; copyright 2013; Page 74
God is a far better father than any human could ever be. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, he lets his children go, sometimes for long periods of time. He waits patiently for them to exhaust themselves with sin and reach the end of their rope, and then he lovingly welcomes them back as they trudge homeward. They need to learn where true love and joy are found, and they need to learn their weakness and inability to change themselves before they will cherish his power and salvation.
– Duguid, Barbara; Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in our Weakness; P&R Publishing; Philippsburg, NJ; copyright 2013; Page 71
Humans are toxically self-reliant and prideful creatures who tend to believe they can do anything they set their minds to. In their early days of indulgence most addicts believe that they can stop the behavior whenever they choose.
– Duguid, Barbara; Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in our Weakness; P&R Publishing; Philippsburg, NJ; copyright 2013; Page 70
The mature Christian’s thoughts about God are no longer merely lofty theological ideas or empty philosophical speculations. Instead, the doctrines that he cherishes so much have now traveled from his head to his heart and have begun to change him from the inside out in three primary ways. He is becoming someone who is humble, someone who is spiritual, and someone who is passionate for the glory of God to be displayed in all things.
– Duguid, Barbara; Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in our Weakness; P&R Publishing; Philippsburg, NJ; copyright 2013; Page 64
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