For When I am Weak, Then I am Strong!

What if the truth is that it is our reliance upon ourselves which is the problem in this life? We seek after our human, fleshly desires instead of standing in who we are in Him. We are more focused on what we want versus what we need. We choose to be willfully disobedient rather than willingly seeking and following. What if we are the biggest barrier in our walk with Christ? The more I seek after Him, the more I am convinced that is the case for me. 

When we become so self-centered rather than God-centered, we may lose our way. We get wrapped up in the circumstance and not in the position in which we need to live which is as heirs to the throne of Christ in heaven (based on Eph 2:6). In the midst of our struggles, though, we often take matters into our own hands (at least I do) or we don't know what to do and are left feeling oppressed or defeated in our circumstances. Yet in 2 Corinthians 12:5-9, Paul says that it is in our own inabilities, our weaknesses, that Christ's strength shines the brightest and is a reminder of our need for Him. 

5b...I will boast only about my weaknesses. ⁶ If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, ⁷ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 

The verse that follows this is my favorite and has become my life verse, "That’s why I take pleasure 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." (vv. 10). Laura Story's song, Blessings, and her explanation of what lead her to write the song is a good example of the way that God doesn't always answer our prayers as we WANT, but always enough to meet our NEEDS. Our God provides. It may not  be in the way we expect, but His ways are higher than ours because He sees the whole picture of our lives and the lives of others. When we stop seeing our life as one that is just about us, things make a lot more sense. It may not make it easier in the moment, but as you draw into Him and His truth and promises, as you truly come to know Him, everything gets better. For apart from Him, nothing is possible (John 15:5b).