I am weak, and I'm not referring to my physical strength. Well...to be fair, I can include my physical strength in that weakness. I put all my effort into running instead of strength. Therefore, when I have a slight head start on the strong guy who wants to destroy my face, I should be alright.
Lets start over. I am weak. I am weak physically, but I am also weak in other aspects of my life. For instance, I am unable to multitask. If I am driving a car and simultaneously having an in-depth conversation with the passenger, I will likely end up driving us to my home. Why? Home is the path of least resistance. My brain cannot have the conversation and make directional decisions, so it chooses the path it takes most regularly. Michelle often corrects my directions.
Also, I am a shy, reserved person. Mingling is rough on me. I've found that if you carry something, keep moving, and put on a determined look, people are less likely to notice that you're simply moving in a large circle around the mingling area and not actually talking to anybody. But I used to have more than just mingling miseries. For instance, my freshman year in college, I went a full week not having a conversation with a single person. I holed out in my dorm, in the dark, leaving only for food and classes. Good times.
And I could go on. I'm not an audial learner. I get extremely grumpy when I am both hungry and bored. I'm not observant. I forget details.
Most people are ashamed, or at least saddened, by their weaknesses. However, here I am, happily discussing them with the world. Why would I do that?
Where Weakness Comes From
Christians will often declare that weakness is a result of sin. Any physical or mental deficiencies are a result of sin in the world, and they are bad. It is believed that, if at all possible, we should try to power through weakness; otherwise, suffer with them as best as possible.
But what if, sometimes, weaknesses are from God? Read this:
But Moses said to the Lord, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." Then the Lord said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?"
Exodus 4:10-11 (ESV)
Wait, what? When I read this, I was stunned! God just declared that HE makes a man mute, deaf, seeing, and blind. Maybe I should look elsewhere...
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."
John 9:1-3 (ESV)
Here again, this physical defect was not a result of sin, but it instead came from God!
How Do We Respond
So we see that, at least in the above two cases, weakness came from God. How do we respond to this? Lets look at Paul's response:
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. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Cor 12:7-10 (ESV)
Paul has an amazing attitude here! First, he pleads with our Lord to free him from the "thorn." We see that it is okay to try to be free from our weakness. God is the Great Healer. He can heal us of any weakness we have, and we should ask Him to! In the story of John 9, Jesus heals the blind man! If the issue is physical, we should pray, and we should go see a doctor. If it is mental, we should pray and seek wise counsel. If the issue is a personality weakness, we should pray and work towards growing out of the weakness.
But we notice that He doesn't always heal. He didn't remove the thorn from Paul. He didn't heal Moses' mouth. Instead, God says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
This paints a beautiful picture of weakness. Where we find ourselves strong, we completely forget our desperate need for God. In our weakness, we learn the truth of Acts 17:24 - 25, "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." We cannot even breathe without God! Talk about weakness!
So instead of sinking into a depressed state or considering ourselves worthless in our weakness, we should instead discover the great power and gift God has given us in our weakness! In our weakness, Christ's power is made perfect! For example, I told you all about my shyness. Can you imagine a person like that wanting to do overseas missions? What about sing in front of a church? Trust me, that would have never have happened without Christ's power working in my life. Every conversation I have is proof of Christ's power in me.
Let us look at our weaknesses as a way to show off Christ's power! Every situation is different, but every situation is a chance to point to the glory of the One who gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. Examine yourself: what are your weaknesses? Remember what Paul says to the Corinthians, "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'" (1 Cor 1:27-31, ESV).
Conclusion
To those who are hurting in their weaknesses, I hope this gives you comfort. Christ's power is ready to be made perfect in you. When you are weak, then you are strong. As the foolish of the world, as the weak in the world, as the low and despised...let us go out and proclaim Him who makes us strong.
See you next time!