Strive not

St. Teresa of Avila

I was reading recently about St. Teresa of Avila—a woman devoted to prayer who is known for her great works among the poor.


I found it very interesting that the greatest volume of her labors were not done when she was young and vibrant. In actual fact, it was not until she was well into her 40's, suffering with heart disease, that she was able to make any headway.


It is not in our strength and vigor that God's purposes are accomplished. It is in our weakness that His strength is made perfect.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

I am finding this theme repeatedly wherever I turn lately.

For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. (Isaiah 30:15)

Jesus receives a child

In the above passage, God is speaking to the Israelites as they were striving to keep from being over-run by their enemies. They had abandoned waiting upon the Lord and were instead enlisting the help of the Egyptians (plan of man). God kept calling them to rest in Him; to allow Him to protect them just as He had demonstrated in the past that He could and would do.


But resting is not comfortable, because it is not self-willed. It causes us to lay down our aspirations and plans. It demands that we place all of our uncertainty into His hands. It doesn't make sense to our carnal minds.


In trusting God we are releasing to Him our very future—is He able? Is He faithful? We must decide. Is He a harsh task-master, or a kindly Father?


God did not allow Teresa of Avila to accomplish anything of significance until she became incapable of doing very much on her own. It was during the furnace and travail of her seasons in prayer and meditation that God's purposes were wrought forth, not in her vigorous striving.


We have all experienced those days when things just seem to "come together", and so many other times when things simply "fall apart". The plans may have been exactly the same, yet the outcomes were different.

A time to explore

People have asked me what it was like to have so many little children in such a close succession—at one point I had seven under ten. I always point to the sufficiency of Christ.


In those days it was impossible to have lists or plans of any sort. There were just too many variables. Little children just don't perform on queue—they get sick, teethe and have earaches at the most inconvenient times!


It was through the prompting of the Lord that I learned to turn my "to do" lists into "prayer lists". Instead of making plans, I would write down things I would like to see happen and then turn them over to the Lord, trusting Him to bring them to pass. The change was not in the paper or the way I listed the items, no, it was in my heart. Instead of being weighed down by my lists, I found there was a way I could lay down the burdens of the day and find release. I was always open to any changes God might make in my day, trusting that the most worrisome things either weren't that important after all, or He would ensure that they would be accomplished in His timing.


I also made it a priority to have a quiet time every day with the Lord, first by enforcing a quiet time for the children. I sometimes found myself laying on the floor of a naughty toddler's room, making sure he stayed in his bed, nursing a tiny infant, with Bible in hand, meditating and feasting on the Word.


Often, when I took these times of quiet, there was still laundry, dishes, etc. awaiting me. It was always amazing to me how much I could get done when I gave God His time first.


Even today I can get all caught up in "doing" (like Martha). Work is an important part of life, but without God's direction it is all vanity. It's in sitting at Jesus' feet that the greatest and lasting things are achieved!

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)

If you have been on a treadmill lately, and you are being moved more by adrenaline than by the Holy Spirit, here is a prescription for you.
Read and meditate (ponder in your mind) on the following verses:


Psalm 33
Psalm 91
Matthew 11:29-30


Pipe this playlist throughout your house for a few days (or another quiet one filled with scripture that feeds you)


John Michael Talbot playlist
Here is just a sample: