It’s easy to feel horrible when we feel weak. Who wants to have limited success, disease, a broken heart? Maybe we feel weak because we have limited control over a situation. Whatever the case may be, weakness can make us feel like losers, like we don’t have any purpose in life. It can sink our hearts so far down that depression and suicidal thoughts creep into our hearts and minds. However, there is good news. God looks at weakness in a more positive light!
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ESV)
Our weakness is a vessel that God can show his power through. 2 Corinthians 12:9 could be considered one of the foundations of the Christian life. We should let God work through these weaknesses in order to reach others and share the glory of God.
Here’s an example about Gideon, a character in the Old Testament, and how God has shown his power through the small size of an army.
15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:15-16 ESV)
Gideon heads to defeat the Midianites with his army. However, God says that too many of them are there, and a bunch of them head home instead of fighting until 300 are left against a much larger Midianite army. God does this because he wants to prove a point, that His power is what is to defeat the Midianites, and not the raw power of the Israelite army. God causes the Midianite army to fight each other, and gives victory to the Israelites.
God doesn’t want us to lean on our own power to get us through life, but wants us to put our trust in Him and His strength, which is monumentally greater than ours. That’s one reason why I think he loves our weaknesses – it allows God to show Himself to others in miraculous ways.
Another reason that I think God loves our weaknesses is that He can use us and our flaws to reach people with the same flaws as u.
22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT)
How helpful is someone spreading the Gospel with no flaws? It wouldn’t be easy to communicate with each other if we all were perfect. We could talk about our perfection, but so much of communication and stories stems from our shortcomings. God can use these flaws, and us, to spread good news to others, which is one of the most important things we can do as Christians.
I think that social media makes us feel like we are supposed to have perfect lives to share with others, but what about the not-so-perfect part of our lives? These are debatably the parts that people actually like to hear about more often, because people can’t relate to perfection.
It’s not that we are supposed to be complete weaklings with no talents, however. God uses our talents and our weaknesses. He wants us to use our talents to build up the body of Christ, and our weaknesses to show his power and communicate with others. Together, our talents and our weaknesses make us human beings that have so much potential to reach people and build the Kingdom of Heaven up.
Paul shows us that we should not boast of our strengths, but instead of our weaknesses.
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (2 Corinthians 11:30 ESV)
After all, Jesus gave some very powerful words in his Sermon on the Mount, and spent time talking about people who could be considered weak.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Those who are weak and realize their need for God are blessed. We all are weak and need God, so we might as well realize it and ask him for mercy and the Holy Spirit to work through us.
Let’s therefore lean on God for understanding and strength, and not on our own strengths, which are minuscule compared to his overwhelming power.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV)
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