I am nothing without the Lord.
Here you will find darkness. Darkness is not really an actual thing, is it? The word is only a classification of what happens when there is no light present. Light is a real thing. How? Simply put, light can be produced, where as darkness cannot. For example, if I light a match a flame (light) is produced. There is nothing in this world that can create darkness. Darkness only occurs when light is not present.
So darkness then, does not really exist. Furthermore, darkness would definitely not exist if light didn’t exist because darkness itself is dependent on light.
In the same way I find that this is an exact representation of the self. The self would not exist if a something did not exist. Humanity exists solely because of the One who exists.
Therefore, if humanity is solely dependent on our Creator, the beginning statement is incorrect, for we cannot even be anything without the Lord. Instead it should be..
Without the Lord.
.. because “I am nothing” indicates that we are actually something when the Lord is not present. Now, where am I going with this?
Sometimes I am thanked, praised, honoured for the things the Lord has allowed me to do, whether that would be for giving a talk, paying for someone’s meal, leading worship. It is hard sometimes because the devil uses opportunities like these to slowly and subtly build up my pride. Most of the time, I only notice when it is already too late and I have already acted wrongly against my family, friends, or any brother or sister.
Praise God for He is merciful and without His unending love I would be a wreck. When we say “Praise God” in this community, we are truly called to acknowledge that the Lord is the source of everything; every act of goodness, every smile, every joyful moment, every inch of love, the completeness of our life (which is why it is EXTREMELY easy to get “kiligs” or feel “gitty” over the Lord!). Praise God because He is the only One worthy of praise. Obviously, our praising does not really amount to much when we compare it to God’s infinite and undefinable Glory. However, if there is any praise or thanks being done, it all should be directed to the Lord.
I have been so extremely blessed, that the Lord has chosen to use me (as He has chosen all of us) and make my life an instrument of His love and joy. The only way to increase in the fullness of my life, is to rid myself of everything that is of me. The more that the self is removed, the more the Creator can be present. Of course we strive to give ourselves fully, but we are such limited creatures (and the Lord is aware of this, He is our Creator after all) that even if we desperately desired to offer ourself completely it would be impossible; because to offer oneself fully is to be a perfect reflection of God (and there is only one, Christ). So as much as we strive to give ourselves fully and be perfectly transformed into a bright light..
We must be at peace with the fact that we will never reach this state in this lifetime and know that the Lord has already took this into account when He created us. So instead we must settle for this..
.. and remember that even if this is the best (as long as we try our best) that we can do, it is still indescribably beautiful because the Lord made it that way. He will make us strong despite our frailty. He will fix us despite our brokenness. He will make us complete because His love never fails.