Equality with God?
By Mike Rule

I was recently talking with someone about our identity in Christ. In the course of conversation she pointed out something to me that was very thought provoking. We were studying the flesh (the residue or baggage of our Adam life) and then looking at our new man (our "self" under the control of Christ). We were discussing how so often we strive and hunger for the complete removal of our weaknesses and our flesh, which means we are wanting to be like God. As we discussed this she asked, "Isn't this the very thing that Satan wanted?" There was a long pause as this sunk into my wee brain, then the light went on. Yes! It is!

If I am fighting for the complete removal of my weaknesses and striving to be totally removed from all the desires of my flesh, then I am striving to be like God. Satan said, "I will make myself like the Most High" (Is.14:14). If that were possible then we would not see our need for God ever again! We would become self-righteous and not live in His righteousness! Jesus struggled in the same way we do, but He never failed once because He was totally dependent upon God in all things. Jesus humbled Himself and became a man. He did not think equality with God was something to be grasped. Why do we? Are we willing to be human? (Phil 2:5-8) We so often fight against the very things that God is using to keep us near Him. Can we boast in our weaknesses knowing that when we are weak, then we are strong? His strength is perfected in our weaknesses!

I'll be honest; I want to be better sometimes. Sometimes I want there to be a complete removal of my failures, my weaknesses, and my struggles. I get sick of saying the wrong thing or tripping in one way or another. Just yesterday I barked at my 7-year-old daughter in a way that was totally unnecessary. But the deepest peace I have is knowing that my struggles and failures are the very things that keep me safe for His Glory. They are the things He uses to keep me reliant and dependent upon Him. So do I sin so that grace might abound? Of course not! I don't desire to fail and God doesn't desire that either, but He is not afraid to let me fail because He knows it will bring me back to Him in deeper dependency and humility.

The challenge is this: Are we willing to embrace our weaknesses and see that they are the very thing that keep us near to Him?