Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Hebrews 13:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Peter 1:3, Philippians 2:13, 4:13, James 4:17
Time and time again throughout my life, I have thought or said, "I just need _____, then I can _____." "I just need more time, then I can have a better devotional life." "I just need So-and-So to take responsibility, then I can forgive him/her." "I just need my own home, then I can have healthy habits." "I just need to get through the next two weeks, then I can relax." Right. The perfect circumstances I'm holding out for may or may not happen, and even if they do, my problems will not magically disappear. I will only find myself wanting more time, more money, more _____ so that maybe then I can meet that elusive far-away goal.
Where would we be if the apostle Paul had had this mindset? "I just need the Lord to heal my thorn in the flesh, then I can preach the Gospel in Asia." Daniel could have said, "I just need to get through the next thirty days, then I can worship God again." But he didn't. The heroes of the Bible are remembered to this day because they were faithful in less than perfect circumstances. It's easy to look at great men and women of the faith and feel that feats like theirs are unattainable for ordinary lives like ours. But all of them had to start somewhere, with many small acts that didn't make it onto the pages of Scripture or history. We have the very same God, rich in the very same grace, and He has provided everything we need to accomplish whatever He sets before us to do in this present moment.
If I let my actions (or lack thereof) depend on anything outside of my control, I am discrediting God's present power in my life and - consciously or unconsciously - presenting Him with an ultimatum: "God, give me _____, then I will act." But God does not need to wait for _____ in order to work in me to will and to do for His good pleasure. He wants me to faithfully do the things I can do right now, however small they may seem, that will move me in the right direction. Through Him I can be consistent in spiritual disciplines, even when I face the pressures of a busy life. Through Him I can forgive others and show them grace, even when they are unrepentant. Through Him I can invest carefully in the physical life He has entrusted to me, even when my circumstances make it difficult. Through Him I can work joyfully and rest wisely, even when life is stressful. The truth is, I just need Jesus.