Weakness: Where You’re Supposed to Be

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

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I thought I had left my weaknesses at the door. Making sure they were boxed neatly, tied up with a bow, and put on a high inner shelf where no one could catch a glimpse.

 

See, the time spent in this room is for serving. Compassion, a steady heart, and strong shoulders are to be offered for those who may need it here.

 

It’s a task I gladly do, but I’ve come to realize the strength I show, has a flip side I struggle deeply to acknowledge. And I’m afraid it’s all about my pride.

 

Where did I get this mentality that I must serve with my act perfectly together? That I can’t be in a position of needing, only being needed?

 

Well, on this particular day, I must have left the door to my inner closet ajar, and a good friend caught sight of what I try desperately to hide.

 

Knowing something was up, she asked if I was alright.

 

“Fine.” I said. “But could you pray for strength? I need more strength, things are hard lately.”

 

In truth, I felt utterly weak.

 

And oh, how I hate that feeling.

 

She said she would pray. I nodded in thanks, and as I turned to leave, a woman I didn’t know said something to me that has impacted my thinking ever since.

 

“Oh, you don’t need prayer!” she said. “You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be!”

 

“Where?” I asked.

 

“Weak!” she replied. “You can’t see God’s strength if you’re not in a position of weakness.”

 

And with that little nugget of wisdom, she left me standing there to wrestle with my thoughts.

 

All my life I’ve tried to cover up the chinks in my armor. And when the veneer of my strength became cracked, I would dig in and work harder, hoping I could fool everyone once again into thinking I was so with it.

 

Worshipping my strength gave me the ability to protect and control my life where I would not be duped, threatened, or injured.

 

Weakness was definitely not for me.

 

Until this woman said it was a better place to be.

 

When I’m alone, and courage comes to face those boxes in my inner closet, God whispers the familiar words of 2 Corinthians 12:9:

 

“My grace is sufficient for you.”

 

And stubbornly my reply is always the same.

 

“Yeah, Yeah, I get it. Now please strengthen me so I can change what’s going on.”

 

All I wanted was for God to power me up, so I could get on with whatever needed doing.

 

But when my unknown friend said those words to me, I went back to read the rest of 2 Corinthians 12:9, and I could see what she knew.

 

“…Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

 

The gift of weakness is Christ’s power resting upon us.

 

I was so consumed with MY strength, I was willing to settle for it’s lowly benefits rather than letting it go to take hold of the grace-filled power God offered.

 

There is heavenly value in weakness.

 

Just think on this quote from J. Hudson Taylor:

 

“All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on God being with them.”

 

I want to be great in the eyes of the Lord, and so once again, I’m reminded that humility comes before honor (Proverbs 15:33), and weakness boasted in the context of God’s strength will bring him glory.

 

What are your thoughts about weakness? Do you try to hide it like me, or boast about it like the Apostle Paul did?