But [God] 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)
No one likes to feel weak. You only want to do the things that you are good at doing, right? Staying in your comfort zones is just fine, and comfortable. But what if you feel your conscience or your gut guiding you into doing something that is not a strength of yours? Or what if you are put into a difficult situation that is not of your own doing and you must find a way out of the suffering?
In 2 Corinthians, Paul says he is going to boast in his weaknesses. He is going to share the things about himself that he is not proud of. Can you even imagine? In today’s world, that would look like posting on Facebook about all the things you did not get done today, instead of all the fun things you did do. On Instagram, you would post a picture of your kids fighting instead of holding each other lovingly on the beach in coordinating, but not too matchy-matchy, outfits.
I do not mean to say that we should not share the good things, but I also wonder if we’re too busy making ourselves look good that we forget there’s an opportunity for good to happen when we share our struggles too. When you confess your weakness, before God or man, you are welcoming God’s grace, letting the power of Christ rest on you, remaining content, and acknowledging you cannot do it on your own.
WELCOME GOD’S GRACE
When you admit to God that you cannot do it on our own, you welcome His grace to cover your mistakes and your struggles. If you think you are perfect, you have no need for God’s grace. But freely boasting (or just admitting) that you make mistakes allows you to accept the gift of grace.
LET THE POWER OF CHRIST REST ON YOU
In moments when you feel weak, pray for God’s Spirit to guide you and help you. When you are struggling to stop a bad habit, pray every day or even every hour. When you need to have a difficult conversation, and you don’t know what to say, pray for God to send His words your way. When the pressure is on and you are filling a job you do not fill qualified to do, ask God for help.
And then listen. You should not pray for wisdom, then ignore what your gut is telling you. You cannot pray for knowledge and then not listen to the Spirit-filled voice in your mind telling you what to do. You cannot pray for help for a hard conversation then push aside your feelings about the situation. God gave you your heart, mind, and body for a reason. They are there to tell you things. When you are reading your Bible and praying everyday, those times with God will shape your thoughts and feelings. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).
REMAIN CONTENT, EVEN IN HARDSHIPS
It’s easy to be content when you’ve had a full cup of coffee before anyone tries to talk to you. You’re happy when your friends are close and your enemies are far away. But anyone can be happy when things are going their way.
You show your trust and hope in God when you are content even during difficult times. You know this is not how it ends. The success of God’s plan does not depend on your strength. You can be content because you know it’s not about what you can’t do, but what God can do.
ACKNOWLEDGE YOU CANNOT DO IT ALONE
“Oh the things we are able to accomplish in the Lord when we allow God’s Spirit to work powerfully in our lives.” –Casandra Martin, Echoing His Heartbeat, The Life of David
When you do something that you know you are good at doing, you can pat yourself on the back and brag about how awesome you are. But God wants you to trust in Him, not in yourself, and weakness is often what turns you to Him.
Peter obeyed the call to walk on the water, but when he started to sink, reached for Jesus. Esther fasted and prayed for three days when she knew her life was on the line. Moses said he couldn’t do it, but had to trust in God’s power more than his own.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2
Let your help come from the Lord. Let your weaknesses be an opportunity for God to show His glory. Let your focus be on what God can do, not what you cannot do.
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