Weak fools

"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27 ESV)

Chosen by God=weak fool.  Coming to that realization has been quite a painful struggle for me but now that I'm here(or more here than I used to be I guess)...big sigh of relief!  There is such freedom in getting strength and wisdom not from ME but from God alone.  Also, I'm not surprised anymore when I fail...which is often. After all, I'm a weak fool, what else should I expect but failure when I try to accomplish, work, plan, worship, play, live on my own without the strength and wisdom that God provides through His Word and His Holy Spirit.  For me, it has been through and in my failures that I've experienced God's loving presence rather than in my successes.  The Word tells us over and over that God desires us to be broken ("The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17 ESV)).  Not that He wants us to dig our heels in and get comfortable with the pain but He wants to continually do surgery on our broken hearts and set our broken bones straight.  And it is in these moments of sometimes intense, sharp pain when my Father draws me to Himself, wraps my wounds, and reminds me that my eternal healing has already been bought through His own Son's wounds.  

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3 ESV)

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18 ESV)

"and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed." (Hebrews 12:13 ESV)