God said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will most gladly boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. That’s why I delight in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2Cor.12:9–10)
Heavenly Father, why do I celebrate this for Paul but still find it hard for myself? Maybe it’s because of bad teaching I got as a young believer. I wasn’t taught to delight in weakness, but rather to decry, dismiss—even demonize limitations, frailty, and inadequacy. It was all about “the victorious Christian life”—always overcoming and never underachieving. I didn’t think in terms of sufficient grace; I wanted replacement grace—getting rid of anything unpleasant in my life.
Thank you for rescuing me from this and other destructive distortions of life in Christ. I know we’re not defined by our weakness and brokenness but that’s where you meet us as our Father of compassion and God of all comfort (2 Cor.1:20). And that’s how you free us to enter more graciously into the weakness of others—growing hearts of empathy and compassion.
Most importantly, through acknowledging our weaknesses and accepting our limitations we also begin to understand what Paul meant about treasuring the Gospel in our “jar-of-clay-ness” (2Cor.4:7-9). Jesus becomes way more precious to us and worship-worthy. Our grasp and gratitude for the ways he loves us get supersized. Your power begins to flow through our lives—not like an overpowering thunder and lightning storm, but more like an irrepressible stream of your mercy, grace, and kindness. May it be so, loving Father. Thank you and So Very Amen.
