“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” –2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT)

Being self-sufficient is what our world believes. Self-help books are me focused. They promote you being the ruler of your universe. From my experience, only relying on myself creates stress and worry. Do I fall back into self-reliance rather than trusting God? Yes, many times. I am human, but when I depend on the Lord, I get rest because I have peace. 

The Holy Spirit is not only available to church leaders. It is also available to every believer. We can call on Him in our need. We don’t have to rely on our own abilities. Each one of us has access to the power of the Holy Spirit.

We can’t manipulate the Holy Spirit. He is the one that enlightens our minds not us. With it, we are enabled us to do the work God has called us to do. He magnifies God in and through us.   When we operate out of the flesh, we depend on our own energy. In the flesh, we can’t fully enjoy the life God intends for us. The Christian life is Christ living in and through us. We find out greatest joy when we follow God’s plans instead of our own. 

When I knit and give away gifts, that is not something I am doing on my own strength. God impresses on my heart when to bless someone and He gives me the right words to say to them. In fact, on one occasion, which I wrote about in a post a few years ago, I shared how I pray for God to reveal to me at the beginning of each year one word for me to help me with my faith walk.

 In 2018, my word for the year was bold. I wanted to be bolder in my faith. Two weeks into the year, I had the opportunity to give an ear warmer away to a cashier. When I told her that I pray for the gifts before I give them away, I meant I pray as I am making them….at my home…not in public. She held out her hands to me and said, You can pray for me.

Um, God, I know I said I wanted to be bolder in my faith, but this is only the second week of January! You know I don’t even like praying out loud with my small group. I can’t do this on my own. Please give me the words to say. I have absolutely no idea what words came out of my mouth, so whatever I said was by the power of the Holy Spirit within me. I can honestly say, that morning when I said my prayers asking God to use me that I thought He was going to ask me to pray out loud with a stranger in a 7-11.

This was over two years ago. While I still wouldn’t be totally comfortable in that situation, I have no doubt that God will empower me just as He did on that day. If you have been following along with me on this journey, God has definitely given me the strength to be bolder in my faith as I give away my knit gifts to people in my community. 

When we cooperate with God, the Holy Spirit transforms us from one of self-centeredness to serving others. I know, not stepping out due to fear will open the door for the enemy and close the door that God has opened for me. God’s power within me cannot be released if I don’t give those fears to Him. 

I am sure there have been many times that I have ignored that inner feeling to do something for someone and missed an opportunity to be a light in a person’s day. Obedience to those nudges will always bring blessings. I may not know or see them, but that is okay because I am planting the seeds of God’s love and He will bring the harvest in His perfect time. 

Just like that day at 7-11 for me….it sure didn’t make sense to pray in public with that sweet worker, but I did it anyway. I chose to rely on God not my limited thinking. 2 Corinthains 3:5 tells me that my qualifications come from God alone. Is there an area of your life where you are being self sufficient? What would happen if you trusted God and let Him take control of the situation?

 Dear Lord, 

Forgive me when I rely on myself instead of You. I ask for Your grace when I am more focused on me than others. Let Your love flow through me to each person I encounter this week. Thank You for the Holy Spirit that enables me to live my life to do what You have called me to do. I praise You that You start, complete and sustain all things in Your perfect timing. I ask for forgiveness when I lack the faith that You will finish what You have started. It is in the name of Jesus that I pray these things. Amen.

May Memory Verse

“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” –2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT) 

Please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit, Pray, Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtag #KnitPrayShare. Be sure to attach a tag to whatever gift you make.