Hi, well let me give just another twist to this topic. I have been in a 12 step meeting for a number of years. We learn that WE are powerless over our addictions (mine is trying to fix other people) and that this has made our lives unmanageable. Admitting that I am powerless has helped me in so many ways. I am learning about God's unmeasurable power by giving up my own power. For me it hasn't been a lack of faith but rather that I was playing God in my life and couldn't experience Him in that role! Surrender is the mystery of the Christian faith. We find God's power through surrender, the preaching of it is foolishness to those who are perishing and our flesh tries to keep us from doing it! Admitting that I am powerless and surrendering this to God has also helped me come closer to Him which in turns also helps me to learn about my inheritance in the saints and his unmeasurable power. Now I am able to learn about him in other forms in my life through being powerless.
a) I have leukemia. I am powerless over it. No amount of worrying, quoting a scripture, claiming faith, etc. can take it away. God can. I am not going to say it isn't there when it is, that to me is lying. I know what scripture says. Through my daily surrender of this I find Him in that place. I experience his unmeasurable power giving me the strength to get through the day and be a blessing to others.
I am powerless over worry. Growing up with an alcoholic father I learned early how to take in everything and think I had to fix it all. Today I am learning how to surrender this too and learning how to accept God's power in my life at work taking all of the worries.
c) I am powerless over grief. I just lost my niece in a tragic accident. To experience God's power working in my life I also am learning how to surrender this whole experience on a daily level.
Just a few examples. When I "get out of the way" God can come in there and I do experience His unmeasurable power.
Lori