I was reminded of how much I hate being weak when I had to hobble around duck-taped together because of a swollen knee. God used this to renew my perspective on weaknesses. I hope this excerpt adapted from Give Yourself a Break will encourage you too.
Embrace Weaknesses
We love our strengths. They open doors, garner accolades, and earn money. But no one has only strengths. Everyone has weak areas. The person who gets things accomplished may bruise people. The people person may be easily distracted from tasks. These weaknesses may frustrate and embarrass us. They sidetrack us, but they’re also gifts from God. They keep us humble and reliant on Him, which is His goal.
What about weaknesses caused by emotional or physical injuries, not DNA? Are those also gifts? Joseph told his brothers that what they intended for evil, God intended for good (Genesis 50:20). God uses all our weaknesses—including our injuries—to benefit us. Accepting our weaknesses heals and strengthens us.
Paul’s Declaration
“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 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 12:7-10 NIV).
Reflection
Remember how Samson lost his power when Delilah cut his hair? With his hair, he had the supernatural power of God; without it, he wielded mere human strength.
What if our weaknesses, like Samson’s hair, are disguised links to God’s mighty power? Paul viewed them that way. If that is so, how does it change the way you view your challenges? Would you choose human strength over Christ’s power?
Our weaknesses may limit us, but they strengthen what God can do through us. #hope Click To TweetApplication
Paul’s limitations included weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties. He saw those as reminders to let Christ take over.
My limitations never limit Christ’s work in me. Quite the opposite. They release His power through me.
Closing Prayer
Let’s offer Christ our weaknesses and receive His strength.
Lord Jesus, please help me to be like Paul and stop focusing on my handicap and start appreciating the gift. Your grace is sufficient for my every need. May your power be made perfect in me today.
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Hi Debbie, I thank God this morning for the message on weaknesses and God strength I to have weakness car accident injuries my lower back causing chronic pain often. I have sak God to heal me and remove the pain I believe in his heal power and anointing so instead of reaching for my medication bottle late at night I turn to God word read it pray and think him for his loving kindness and mercy toward me telling other about how good he is to me and that he loves them so much. Again I thank you for the lesson this morning I am truly blessed.
Katie, thank you for sharing your personal story with pain and weakness. May the Lord touch your back and bring relief and healing. May He continue to renew you spiritually through this. Pain can be so draining. Paul’s words really encourage me in this area.
My limitations, hardships and difficulties release His power through me. This is SO true Debbie. It’s so difficult for us to admit much less revel in our weaknesses but knowing they showcase His strength reminds me that it is well worth it. Great insight here.
Ann, It is hard to revel in our weaknesses. Paul’s words certainly give me a new and hopeful perspective.
I hear you about your feelings about a swollen knee. A few years ago we were slated to attend the world conference of the American Association of Christian Counselors in Nashville at the Opryland. Less than a week before we were to leave I slipped and fell down the stairs because I was trying to carry too many clothes down to iron. I was in great pain. It was a severely sprained ankle and crutches soon did me in. We still went to the conference and I experienced the humbling of using a walker throughout the time. I resisted my husband’s suggestion of a wheelchair. What pride we can suffer with!! Love and hugs to you!!
Oh, Pam. You nailed it. Paul said his weakness was to keep him from pride. It’s so true. Pride resists weakness. If I gave up my pride I’d probably be able to delight in my weaknesses more! Thank you for adding that. Love to you too!
This posting helped me so much today. Thank you. Rosanne
Bless you, Rosanne. So wonderful to hear from you.
This has been true in my life, Debbie. Where I am weak, he is strong. I am prone to low energy and fatigue. In my limitations, he gives me the grace of his presence. I pray you heal soon!
Sarah, I struggle with low energy too, especially in the summer. So thankful God uses this for our good and His glory. Thanks for your prayers. My knee is doing much better. My He renew your strength!
This fits perfectly with my quiet time reading this morning, Debbie. I’m studying through Hebrews and today’s reading was on Heb. 7:17-22 that talked about the law being “weak and useless.” Pretty strong language about something the Jews had relied on and trusted in for centuries before this was written! And it reminds me that Christ came to give me so much more than my weak and useless efforts to follow the law or do anything in my own strength. Thanks for this reminder, my friend! It is truly in our weaknesses that we can be strong in the Lord! Who wouldn’t want that?!
Beth, I love how you connected this to Heb. 7. What a great insight. Bless you, dear friend.
Debbie, I so appreciated this. I didn’t know about the Bible Study you wrote- just saved it on my Amazon wish list : ) Paul’s words “I delight in my weakness” catch me every time. Delight is not the word I’d think of, just like gift is not a lenses I’d seen weakness through. Redeemable, humbling, helpful for teaching dependence, etc… those are concepts I tend to grasp more easily about weakness. Thank you for this- it’s a perspective I need to adopt too!
Bethany, I believe Paul’s words in my head, but they don’t always drop into my heart. Like you, “delight” is not my first response. But I am doing better, by the grace of God. And I do believe that when we get to heaven and see how God used them, we’ll truly delight in our earthly weaknesses.
I’ve been walking around with a bum knee myself these past few weeks so these are encouraging words for me to hear, Debbie. “My limitations never limit Christ’s work in me. Quite the opposite. They release His power through me.” So thankful this is true!
Thank you, Lisa. I hope you are on the mend. Paul’s words challenge and encourage me.
Thank you, Debbie for sharing this! The perspective shift from looking at it as a weakness to looking at it as a way for God to show His power is encouraging!
Visiting from #DancewithJesus
Julie, I think I need to write that verse in a prominent place for me to see! Thanks for contributing to the conversation.