The Adequacy of Inadequacy
After fighting my computer to post an entry a few days ago (and losing), I guess I’ll try it again.
God is amazingly mysterious by creating me to have convictions yet to hold them humbly. I’m to have faith such that I would die for what I know to be true, yet I am to also hold these loosely, knowing I could be wrong. So, here are my thoughts, although I’m very much aware of the likelihood of being mistaken or at the very least needing correction.
Being the fellow peer and friend of (younger) men, it seems to me that what most causes this great Fear of marriage is a complete insecurity in their inadequacy. Now at first glance that may appear to be quite sensible. Why, of course they’re uncomfortable with the idea of being incompetent – shouldn’t they be? But this fear of being a failure, of being less godly than their wife, of being a poor leader, in short, of being a “schmuck”, is one of the greatest attributes of a man, at least in my mind.
To recognize their great weakness in contrast to their great calling seems to magnify the grace that is poured out into marriage and the faith that is required to take part in it. The Gospel seems to be not only essential in marriage, but also beautifully pictured in it as well. Men are the masters and lords of their home, but are also humble, broken vessels serving their families.
So I was thinking that, although young men may end up frozen by this fear, perhaps it is a constant awareness of this “inadequacy” that qualifies them to be godly husbands, because they are driven to their knees in faith, begging for the grace of God. (And I know that’s what I’m looking for in a man. ;) )
"To walk the narrow way is to realize, moment by moment, that we are totally unable to obey God and do our duty and yet His grace at work in us makes us able. A sense of inadequacy is a gift. It is the starting point for the working of the grace of God in our lives." Philip Lancaster
posted by Kelly @ 5:10 PM
3 Comments:
I was reading John Piper today for Bible study, and I had an insight...I guess that's what it was...into the whole inadequacy thing. Piper wrote, "...And the specific likeness is the husban's readiness to suffer his wife's good without threatening or abusing her. This includes suffering to protect her from any outside forces that would harm her, as well as suffering disappointments or abuses ever from her." That really made me think about how much more responsibility(there's that word AGAIN) I am to have and how much self-control I am to exert with my wife. I mean, how am I to do this for my WIFE if I can't even have some self-control on how I spend my money?! Piper also talked about Ephesians 5:25,"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." I know that I'm not Christ by any means, but I am called to be like Him...even though I suck!
It's amazing how God knows exactly what we need to grow.How He articulates our lives perfectly. Being put in situations that seem wrong or bad or even desperate at times and when the hardship has passed, you realize that the hurt you went through was not wasted. He does not waste a single hurt that you've endured. Tying this back into insecurity/inadequacy, I think you are right that being on my knees and being humbled before an Almighty Holy God is a good thing. Realizing how much grace has been given to me and that He's given me something so precious and yet how wretched I am. I am reminded: He is FOR me. He is my Redeemer who is faithful and true. Every morning, His mercies are made anew. Because of that, I gain confidence and the hope to keep on going. Well, my brain is telling me that I should go to bed. I think I'll listen this time.
Oh, by the way, I hadn't read this post till now. I had read Sanctification of the Nations.
ok, that last comment was really, REALLU bad. I apologize.
ok, that last comment was really, REALLU bad. I apologize.
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