Boasting in weakness
18 Feb 2009 3 Comments
You know those times where words just can’t express how you feel? This is one of them. This whole season of my life has been like that. I feel as though I’ve turned over a huge leaf of my life’s journey, and yet I can’t even sum it up. I’ve learned a lot in these last few weeks (well, I guess just in this last year, 2009) and I have a feeling my lessons learned list is just starting.
Despite my inability to find words to express what I’m feeling, one verse keeps coming back to me. It’s actually kind of freaky how much God has been keeping this passage in heart, and mind this week (more on that later). There are times when I just feel so needy, there are times when nothing satisfies me and that little part of my heart just keeps eating away at me. I know that this passage was a direct response to my need this week-it came like cold water to a weary desert.
I woke up feeling okayMonday morning . I rolled over and pulled out my beloved Bible flipping open to 2 Corinthians 12:9 (at random). It’s one of my favorite passages, but also one of the most emotionally draining ones for me. I’ve read it the most when life gets the hardest, and it reminds me of a lot of hurts and sorrows. Nevertheless, it is one of my most beloved passages. I read:
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 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.
Such simple words, such a huge concept. Back to my story. After finishing up my devotions for the morning I go to my awesome Bible Study that I am leading this semester. My friend Kristen “just so happens” to mention 2 Corinthians 12:9 when we are talking about loving God. Later, as I am leaving school I get this song stuck in my head and NOTHING I can do can get it out. All I remember is the first few lines (which turned out to just about be the whole song) “Your Grace is sufficient for me, your strength is made perfect when I am weak, all that I cling to, I lay at your feet. Your Grace is sufficient for me.” I go home, start to surf facebook a bit. Log onto chat even though I don’t have time to actually chat, just want to see who’s on-I see my friend Sarah Sims who I haven’t talked to in too long is on line. What is her status? 2 Corinthians 12:8-10. Eek. Okay, okay God, I get the picture-but it doesn’t hit me-and I still think it’s just starting to sink in.
Strength for my weakness. Grace. Okay, so I’ve heard it used 100 times, but what is grace after all? Dictionary.com defines it as “the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God” Love. Hmm.
Needy for love? His grace is sufficient. Needy for favor? His grace is sufficient. I do not hide this-I am weak. I’ve been struggling with pride a lot lately. I’ve been needy for love. I’ve been jealous, afraid, hurt, and desperate for something more-the something that is right in front of me, and the something that lives inside me. I boast in my weaknesses because Christ is greater.
I find my contentment in Him. I find my joy in Him. With His strength I face each day, each moment, each breath knowing that it is enough to just know He’s there and that He cares. Delighting in my weaknesses. Now there’s a thought. I think I’m going to go and chew on it some more…. Do you delight in your weaknesses?
Feb 18, 2009 @ 22:08:53
God has always used things that are weak. Mary was an unwed teenaged Jewish girl, who lived under Roman occupation. David was hardly more than a child when he slew Goliath. Think about: the nation of Israel; Hebrew slaves in Egypt; the army of Gideon; the battle of Jeriocho; and ultimately Jesus’ death on the cross. God’s most important work was done on the cross, and what the world saw was weakness and defeat.
Garment of Praise: you post a lot of poetry. I recently wrote this: http://themasterstable.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/he-cannot-save-himself-2/
Oct 26, 2009 @ 01:23:51
Amen!!!
We feel so weak and tired and feel that no one is there sometimes, but he’s always there!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 22, 2012 @ 21:48:57
Thank you so much, my friend has been stuck on this question for quite a while. He asked me what God was trying to tell him when he kept seeing this verse, and he didn’t know what “boasting in one’s weakness” really meant. I think this explains a lot. God bless you and thank you.