Relying on God’s Power in Our Weakness
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, during my greatest weakness, help me to trust in your power to accomplish your purpose, and not in my cleverness to overcome my trouble. Thank you, Lord, that your grace is more than enough to meet all my needs.
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. 10 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 12:9, 10 (NIV)
REFLECT:
Culture in America would teach us that strength and power to dominate are prized qualities. Several years ago, The History Channel produced a series entitled, “The Men Who Built America.” It chronicles the lives of powerful, influential, and innovative men of the 19th and 20th Centuries. The recognizable names of Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan, and Ford top the list. These visionaries influenced our nation for good, and sometimes not so good reasons! But one of the clear attributes in all of them, was power. Here in America, we celebrate power and influence, but not weakness. In fact, weakness is something to be avoided at all costs!
Any thought that weakness could have value in a person’s life seems to be laughable in the mind of the modern. But that is exactly what the Apostle Paul appears to be saying: God’s power is perfected in weakness. I appreciate the way the New Life Version translates Paul’s words: He answered me, “I am all you need. I give you My loving-favor. My power works best in weak people.” I am happy to be weak and have troubles so I can have Christ’s power in me. (2 Cor 12:9 NLV)
If this kind of thinking makes my American mind uncomfortable, then The Apostle Paul hit his target. The fact is, I need to revise my thinking about personal power and weakness. I’m reminded of a time in my life when God dealt with me concerning this. My six-year-old son had been reminded more than once, not to play with tools in my toolbox. One afternoon, while mowing the yard, I discovered my prized, Craftsman nail hammer, rusting in the back of the yard. I was certain that my boy was the culprit, so I yelled for him to join me. He ardently denied playing with it and blamed his sister. I knew that he had to be fibbing, so he was discipled and sent to his room. Later I learned his sister had used it for “smashing ants” in the back yard. How do you model parental strength in the face injustice? God was teaching me a valuable lesson. Justice required my demonstration of sincere humility, admitted weakness, and asking my son for forgiveness. In our weakness, God shows his grace and strength.
APPLY:
As you live and work today, look for areas of weakness in your life, be honest with yourself, and then prayerfully lay your life anew at the feet of Jesus. And then trust God to be your strength.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord as we go about our daily routines help us to trust in you and give all our troubles to you then follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. Amen