Boasting About Weakness
I wonder how you’re going. I know a number of people and families where there are significant challenges going on. And even if you’re doing well right now, all of us will face situations where we don’t have the wisdom or strength to take the next step.
As I’ve contemplated the things I’m struggling with right now, I’ve found a promise to claim in Paul’s experience.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Corinthians 12:8-10.
Paul’s statement here is another example of how Jesus takes things that we’re familiar with and turns them on their head. In our world, we boast about progress, about power, about self-sufficiency. We see weakness as something to be avoided at all costs. Yet Paul learned to see it as something to celebrate.
I think we get the fact that we want God to help us but we’re really just after a top-up. “God, I haven’t quite got what’s needed here but if you could just top me up with a little power, that would be great.”
But in this situation, weakness is not celebrated. This can’t therefore be what Paul means.
Paul’s understanding is richer and deeper than that. He could boast about weakness because he understood that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. Perfect means made complete. When we contribute nothing, God is able to contribute everything. He does this because the currency by which God operates is grace - he does everything in our lives as a free gift.
We learn therefore that weakness is not a barrier to God’s work in and through our lives. Rather weakness is a catalyst for power. So when you face weakness, maybe you’d like to turn it into the sort of prayer I’ve been praying this week.
“God thank you for my inability in this situation because I know you’re going to work powerfully. I invite your work in my life again today as a gift of your grace. Amen.”
Much love,
Simon
This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>