For the past few weeks I have been dealing with "phone issues".
It is standard practice to, each evening, plug the charging cord into my phone and lay it on my nightstand, allowing it to charge overnight. Yet several weeks ago simply plugging the cord into the phone was not enough. After plugging the cord into the phone, I wiggle the cord until it would make a connection with the phone. Days later wiggling the cord was not enough. After plugging the phone in, I would wiggle the cord until it would make a connection and then I would prop the phone up allowing e weight of the phon to rest on the charging cord. More recently, the weight of the phone was not enough. In recent days I have used stacks of books - even a gallon of milk - to offer more weight and make a connection to charge the phone.
And then it happened, on Wednesday evening, my phone refused to charge. After a couple hours of plugging and unplugging, wiggling, wiggling, and wiggling some more, using a stack of books, a gallon of milk, and an iron to bring weight, I was unable to make a connection - unable to get a charge.
So, I pulled out an old phone, changed the SIM card, plugged it in and, "DING", I was back in business. After a few adjustments and updates on Thursday morning I had all of the functions of my phone back. I had my phone back, that is, until today.
This evening, as I plugged the phone in, to charge, nothing. I went to work, doing everything that I could to get the cord to make a connection and bring a charge to my phone but nothing worked. Finally, around 8:00 this evening, as I watched the final bit of battery drain from my phone, with no other options, I accepted the reality that I would be without a phone.
Moments ago, I laid down in bed, looked over at my nightstand and decided to give it one more shot, I gently plugged the charging cord into my phone and, "DING", it's charging.
Amidst the rejoicing over my phone - now gaining battery life by the minute - I began to think about another source of power, the is The Holy Spirit. As a Christian I believe that all power comes from The Holy Spirit and that apart from Him I have no power to live, to act, and to to succeed.
I began to reflect on the amount of work I put into getting a phone to charge - the amount of work I put into getting the power to my phone. And I began to reflect on the lack of work I sometimes put into gaining the true and total power of The Holy Spirit in my life. Often times, when things get difficult, I stop pursuing His power in my life.
I believe that what God calls us to is a commitment and a dedication to pursuing His presence and His power in our lives. I believe that Gos calls us to pursue His presence despite difficult time - in spite of difficult times. However, we do not find His complete power through our labor - just as I did not find a charge for my phone through the hours of labor that I put forth. Instead, God grants us His power after we have shown complete commitment - and complete dedication - to Him. Yet God grants us His power once we stop labor intensive on our own and gently allow Him to take control.
So, as I lay down to rest tonight - my phone charging nearby - I will let go and let God take control.
