Delighting in weakness

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 12:10

I’ve read some topsy-turvy things in the Bible, but ‘delighting in weakness’ has to be up there with the craziest. I can imagine and have experienced many responses to weakness – confusion, fear, doubt, frustration – but joy! Imagine looking into the mirror, seeing a pimple, and smiling! Imagine waking up in a wet bed and enjoying the warmth!

But this idea got my attention this week as I looked to this passage for encouragement, forcing me to ask the question, why would anyone speak so positively, even persuasively, about weakness? Why would someone be so willing to embrace weakness as a blessing to his life?

I prayed and I thought. I read the passage again and considered my own experience, and here’s a few possibilities.

TRUST – moments and seasons of realising personal weakness force us to rely on God. The lure of trusting in our own strength disappears and we come closer and come humbly to Father God.

PRIDE – In a similar way, weakness breaks our pride and challenges our ego. This is always uncomfortable but valuable for our lives. Again, we are forced to look to God to form the way we see ourselves.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS – We are blessed, and it is easy for us to begin to take the credit. But weakness breaks that lie and we are reminded that it is by His grace that we live, and that is sufficient.

GOD’S POWER – Times of difficulty not only remind us that there is an enemy who is set on destroying us, but that God is powerful and ready to move through and in spite of our weakness.

PRAYER – We need to pray. Times of hardship remind us of this. We tend to forget this in easier seasons. We need to pray because we need God’s help desperately. We need to pray because God is powerful to answer.

Paul knew well how important and potentially dangerous these issues could be.

I would love to have a perfect life. It would be great to eliminate all weakness and difficulty. But God of the universe has a different agenda. He wants us to trust in Him, with our whole hearts and with all of our lives. Where we might easily forget His grace, His power of that we need Him at all; He graciously exposes us to our own weaknesses so that we will keep looking to Him.

How else would we experience and understand His grace and His power?

Be encouraged that God has a good agenda. He knows well what He is doing and He can use your weakness to achieve great things in and through you. Even in your most difficult time, God is working to bless you.

Imagine how God is using that weakness to show His strength in your life. It could be a pain that is emotional or physical. Consider it a blessing. What good things has God achieved through it? Can you imagine delighting in it?