When I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Today’s word of encouragement is as counter-cultural as it is counterintuitive. The world has no interest in weakness; it views weakness with derision and contempt. But the Word of God says weakness is the walkway leading to the only real power in the universe, a power that is available to us twenty-four hours a day, seven days each week, three hundred-sixty-five days each year — the power that God gives us.
Weakness protects us from ourselves. God uses our weakness as a witness to His awesome power that flows through us. Our weakness is one of the ways that God demonstrates His strength in our lives. Paul understood this truth from personal experience. Paul knew that he was nothing apart from Christ, and he could do nothing of any eternal value in his own strength. He knew that every bit of forward progress he made in his service to Jesus was because of the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through him. And the weaker he was, the more Holy Spirit power flowed through him!
Weakness keeps us dependent upon God. Weakness keeps us trusting in God. Weakness keeps us from thinking we are capable of living autonomous, independent, and self-reliant lives. We were made by God; we were made for God; and in order to live for God’s glory, we must live in His strength, not our own. When we believe that we are strong and and assure ourselves, “I’ve got this,” we miss out on the life-changing, daily-rescuing, transforming power of God.
When we see how the great apostle Paul celebrated his weakness, we too can celebrate our weakness, knowing that when we are weak, we are truly strong. May this be the confession of our lives.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 