And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather boast about my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
The symbol is obvious. People today do not revel in weakness. People today despise weakness in every form. Our heroes are people of strength and bravery. Our leaders are rejected for signs of weakness. We judge our strengths based on what we excel at. The heroes in any individual field are chosen based on their excellence. So, why does the Bible place such a high priority on weakness?
Where faith is involved, weakness is not only important, it is essential. We are like light bulbs and God is the power supply. The more we rely upon Him, the brighter we will burn. But, when we try to rely upon ourselves, we remain dark. In other words, faith is not the most important aspect. The object of our faith is the most important aspect. When we walk in our weakness, we allow God greater control of our lives. The more control He has, the greater His light will shine through us.
His strength working through our weakness serves two purposes. First, our weakness allows God to be in control, thus allowing the greater miracle to be revealed. Second, our weakness allows those around us to focus on the object of our faith rather than on its effects through us. When we are lessened, He is automatically strengthened. Namely, God receives the greater glory. When we are weak in ourselves, we allow God to be strong through us.
* A disciple delights in his weakness to the strength of the Lord
Application: Who is stronger in your life today: Jesus or you? How can you learn to be weak?