Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our Reading titled Growing Up in Jesus was written by Karen Huang.

As a child, I viewed grown-ups as wise and incapable of failure.

They always know what to do, I'd think.

One day when I'm grown up, I'll always know what to do too.

Well, one day came many years ago, and all it has taught me is that many times, I still don't know what to do. Whether it's illness in the family,

problems at work, or conflict in a relationship, such times have wrestled all delusions

of personal control and strength, simply leaving me one option to close my eyes and whisper,

Lord, help, I don't know what to do.

The Apostle Paul understood this feeling of helplessness. The thorn in his life, which may have been a physical ailment, caused him much frustration and pain. It was through this thorn, however,

that Paul experienced God's love, promises, and blessings

as sufficient for him to endure and overcome his difficulties.

He learned that personal weakness and helplessness don't mean defeat.

When surrendered to God in trust, they become tools for him to work

in and through these circumstances. Our being a grown-up doesn't mean we're all-knowing. Sure, we

grow wiser with age, but ultimately our weaknesses often reveal how truly powerless we are. Our true power is in Christ.

For when I am weak, then I am strong, Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 12.

Truly growing up means knowing, trusting, and obeying the power that comes when we realize we need God's help.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 2 Corinthians chapter 12,

verses 6 through 10.

Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth.

But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,

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