As I have been studying through 2 Corinthians with a local small group, I have been struck several times by Paul’s total reliance on God.
When death seemed certain it was " to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead," (2 Cor 1:9). When the Corinthians questioned his sincerity and faithfulness, he reminds them not of his own faithfulness but of God’s (2 Cor 1:18-20). For, it was God who established, put his seal on, and gave his Spirit as a guarantee to Paul and his fellow ministers (2 Cor 1:21-22). Finally, it was God - nothing on the part of Paul or his fellow ministers - who made them sufficient as ministers (2 Cor 3:4-6).
So, in everything, in his suffering, his inter-personal relationships, and his ministry, Paul consistently relies on God.
For myself, I struggle to display this consistency. One moment I’m taking a step of faith, fully reliant on God, and the next I find myself trying to do things on my own strength and working to earn my worth instead of trusting God’s strength and receiving it from Him.
So, I would love to know what has helped you to grow in relying on God more consistently and what it practically looks like to rely on Him in different areas of life.
Though I have a long way to grow still I have found a few things that have helped me to rely on Him.
In suffering, the Psalms and Lamentations 3 have been a really helpful model for me, teaching me to be honest with God, to go to Him, to bring my troubles to Him, and to trust in Him for deliverance.
Though I struggle more in this area, I have found that the more consistently I am in prayer about something the more reliant I am on Him in that area.
Lastly, when I am in close community with other believers, they can often call me out when I begin to rely on myself again and help point me back to God and the over-sufficiency of His provision and strength.
Have you found any of these helpful for developing consistent reliance on God in your life?
What else has helped you seek to rely on Him instead of on your own strength or understanding?
When you do not rely on God, ask yourself what the distraction is. The distraction needs to be dealt with not your reliance on God. Is it money? Is it comfort? is it control?
Any of these things will derail you. You can better focus on God if you call it out and do not answer to its pull. Catch it before it catches you.
I have been thinking about this reflection since your post. Its indeed amazing how Paul is able to fully rely on God. I wonder if its because of a deep realization and conviction of his own sin which may have helped him appreciate God’s mercy upon him. He understood that his strength for righteous living could come only from God. He was very grateful for God’s mercy. I see this sentiment reflected in his words below in 1 Timothy.
1 Timothy 1:12-14 ESV - I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Its so refreshing to hear you talk with honesty of struggles commonly faced. All of the suggestions you have written have been helpful to me as well. In my walk, careful biblical examination of popular beliefs that I may unconsciously absorb from the environment I am in, has been a means of spiritual growth. Another practice that has been helpful is to take every errant thought captive to obey Christ as much and as soon as I can through the day ( 2 Cor 10:5).
Today, I happened to read 2 Timothy, chapters 2 and 3, and I thought there was plenty in it on how a walk of reliance upon God looks like.
keeping God’s mission at the forefront rather than getting entangled or distracted by other pursuits, 2 Tim 2:4
conforming to God’s rules and plan, 2 Tim 2:5.
hard working - not in our strength but God’s, 2 Tim 2:6
enduring suffering, 2 Tim 2:10
doing our best to present ourselves approved unto God, 2 Tim 2:15
avoiding unnecessary speculations and focusing on the charge given to us of love from a pure conscience, 2 Tim 2:16, 1 Tim 1:5
fleeing sin so that we can be used of God, 2 Tim 2:21
avoiding situations that will lead us astray toward our passions, 2 Tim 3: 5-6
In sum, the example of Paul as described in 2 Tim 3:10 shows what it is to be fully reliant on God. Too often, we dont strive enough to obey God as the cares of this world, lack of prayer and our ‘idols’ come in our way of full reliance on God. And when we do strive to obey, we can fail to turn to God for strength though its freely available to all who turn to Him.