“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” ~ 2 Corinthians 11:30
My husband works as a recruiter with a global company. In all the years of interviewing candidates for job positions, he’s never had anyone say, “Let me tell you about my weaknesses.”
Would social media be so popular if it were a forum where we “shared and liked” each other’s weaknesses? What if there was a “WeaknessFinder” assessment instead of StrengthsFinder™?
Our culture tells us to highlight our strengths and minimize or hide our weaknesses. We are encouraged to overcome our weaknesses, not boast about them.
But that’s exactly what the Apostle Paul did with the Corinthian church.
God knows our sinful nature. When we are overly confident in our own abilities, we start to think we don’t need God. Not much has changed for mankind since the Fall.
The sin of pride is still our biggest battle and self-sufficiency is the fuel.
I have to constantly remind myself it is only by His grace that I can accomplish anything of value. Apart from Him, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6
Society promotes self-confidence and self-reliance. God’s economy focuses on our trust and assurance in Him.
When we are willing to acknowledge our weaknesses, we encounter the One whose name is Grace.
When we humbly bring our weaknesses as an offering to Jesus, it becomes an act of worship to our All Sufficient God. His strength is most often clearly displayed when we can thank Him for our weaknesses.
Don’t confuse boasting about our weaknesses with self-loathing. God doesn’t want to beat us up. He doesn’t have an ego problem. He doesn’t need to make us look weak so that He can look strong. He wants His strength to be glorified in us and through us. But for His glory to be fully demonstrated, human glory has minimize.
When we humbly bring our weaknesses and inadequacies to Christ, His power will work through us. It is then that we can face life’s battles in His strength.
The mark of true spiritual maturity is the degree to which we are wholly dependent on God’s grace and strength.
Are we willing to embrace our weaknesses as opportunities to glorify God?
Embrace it, my friend, and lean on His all sufficient grace. The key to our victory is found in His power – a power that will only be revealed when we stop trying to rival it.
Because when we are weak, He is strong.
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