But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9
A beach experience reminded me of how my will to get out of the water didn’t line up with waves keeping me a few feet from my goal. Fighting against something that had no mercy on my tumbling body caused me to realize I needed help standing back up. The water I was having trouble in wasn’t more than 3 feet deep; one would think 3 feet as shallow, but as soon as I got my footing the next wave came in from behind and rolled me again. I landed with my feet up in the air and my back in the sand - it wasn’t pretty, it was a vicious cycle of waves returning to the ocean, then toward the beach, rolling me again, and again. I was beat up, laughing at times, humiliated the next, until someone came along and lifted me up.
In 2 Corinthians 11:30, Paul said, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” So, does this mean I can fairly say, I am proudly clumsy in 3 feet of water?
How many times has life seemed like the waves? We just get ahead and boom, something else happens. Thankfully God offers His strength. Some folks say that we Christians use religion as a crutch. Well, I could have used a crutch to get out of the ocean, but instead I had a helping hand. I believe that’s what Christ is like when we are weak, we have His helping hand inside of us which lifts us up and strengthens us on the inside to continue on toward the goal. It’s okay to admit our weakness because God can then show Himself to the world by doing impossible things through His children.
“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.” - 2 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)
Is there something in your life that isn’t easy for you to admit as a weakness? Can you see how God can use this weakness to show you, His strength?
This devotion by author, Terrie Miles, is exclusively and solely shared with permission to New Beginnings Church. Any unauthorized printed reproduction, sharing or use of this material is prohibited.
