“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB)
The weakness of the flesh is always there. On some days it is less apparent and we feel energetic and strong, like we could touch the sky. On other days, it stands in our way and tries to block us at every turn, becoming a weight on our backs and pain in our bodies.
We don’t like being weak. It makes us feel “less”. We don’t like how it slows us down and holds us back. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” says the Good Book. And yet we wish that it were not so.
From a personal perspective, I struggle with mental and physical exhaustion on a weekly basis. I think “if I just had more time and energy, I could do so much more and be so much more!” But I am starting to learn that this is not necessarily God’s way. The way He works is somewhat different, and altogether better.
Hypothetically, let us say that we were granted with an endless supply of energy. What could we accomplish and what we could we do? Would we really be more effective and productive day to day or would we simply waste more time and make more mistakes due to our fallibility? With unlimited energy would we depend on God more than we do now or less than we do now?
I think both you and I know the answer to that question, and so does the Lord.
Make no mistake, our weakness and fallibility is a direct result of our sinful condition and the fallen race that we belong to. God does not intend for us to remain this way. Even now, the process of redemption and reconciliation is being carried out in our spirits and one day soon, in our bodies.
But until that day, our weakness will remain. And in our weakness God grants us a miracle. God gives us His strength, His presence and His power. Instead of struggling against our weakness and our limitations God wants us to glory in His might and in our dependence on Him. It is when we realize that only He is pure and good and that our best efforts can never match what He offers that we finally surrender and let Him be God in our lives.
In our sin, He offers us grace. In our weakness, He offers us strength. And in our nothingness, he offers us everything.
This article points to our direct dependance upon the Father. The Bible uses Children many times to teach. One instruction from our Lord is “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” What a statement! Jesus is not saying to be childish but like a child. What are the attributes of a child? The opposite of an Adult. The definition of an adult is a independent person fully grown. A child is not fully grown and is dependent on the Father! “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
Grace and peace friend.
On this line I was impressed with brother Watchman Nee’s experience, especially when he was nailed to the bed at a young age and he asked the Lord to remove this thorn from his flesh…..the Lord asked him, Do you want me to remove the boulder in the stream of water, or do you want me to increase the level of water? — in other words, do we want the Lord to remove the weakness or do we want more grace that will lift us up above any weakness?
Lord, give us more grace every day! Keep us enjoying You as grace so that any weakness or sickness would be swallowed up by Your grace!
I pray that more grace and more dependence is always our response in times of weakness. Thank you Stefan and Jeff!