9 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.
I don’t know about you, but I have a very difficult time being happy about my weaknesses. I would rather have my weaknesses go away. I much prefer strengths. But over the years I have come to appreciate my weaknesses. This is because they drive me closer to the Lord. When I am weak I am not trying to be the lone cowboy riding the range by myself. When I am weak I call on the Lord. When I realize that I can’t do this alone, that I really am weak, then I ask for help. That help can sometimes come from other people. When I acknowledge my weaknesses, that I need the Lord’s help, then His strength is available to me. But if I am trying to do it on my own, the Lord will let me fall on my own. He will not take over my will and “make” me call out to Him. If you have ever given up and allowed the Lord’s strength to flow through you, you know the wonderful feeling that comes. Truth has a tendency to feel good in the long run. Pride might be a hard pill to swallow, but once it is down, God’s power can take over. That is why Paul can say he enjoys his weaknesses. He has experienced God’s strength. And the only way you can experience God’s strength is to give up your strength. Both can’t exist together. When you are weak, God can be strong in you. Are you willing to let God’s strength be the strength of your life?
The Arnold Journey 