Title: God's Power Through Weakness
Contents
Title: God's Power Through Weakness
Text: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
When a company recruits new employees, what they are looking for is someone with a lot of strength. We publish a recruitment syllabus so that people with weaknesses cannot even apply for it at all. This is the overall picture of society. Even when we see couples marrying in love, it is extremely rare that they marry because of their weakness. In most cases, marriage is driven by the strength of the other person.
But everyone has weaknesses. There are so many deficiencies and imperfections physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. And there are situations that make us weak. Things like financial limits or limits in relationships.
Usually we try to hide our weakness. Denying weaknesses, defending them, making excuses and hiding, resenting.
1. God takes advantage of our weaknesses
Unlike us, God sees our weaknesses differently. (Isa. 55:8 My thoughts are not your thoughts, your ways are not my ways.) God likes to use our weaknesses and heals the weak. You enjoy using it. It works in the opposite direction to what we expect. We think that God will only use our strengths, just like people, but in fact, God uses our weaknesses to reveal His glory. “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God has chosen the lowly and despised things in the world, that is, he has chosen the things that are nothing to put away the things that are said to be good” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).
Our weaknesses are not accidental. God has deliberately allowed us this weakness, and through this, He tries to show His power. God never favored strength or self-satisfaction. For example, God did not use Moses when he tried to take care of his people by using all the powers he had learned in the palace of Egypt. Rather, when he was 80 years old and he had been a shepherd for 40 years in the wilderness, not only when he lost everything, but also when his body was getting old, he called him and made him the savior of Israel.
God has reached out to those who are weak and acknowledge their weaknesses. There are so many examples of that in the Bible. If God had used only perfect people, nothing could have been accomplished. Because none of us is without weakness.
Even the famous apostle Paul had a weakness. He carried what is called a thorn in his body all his life. It wasn't a personality flaw or a habit. However, it is neither sin nor evil. Still, it couldn't be changed. It was beyond human ability. As such, everyone has limitations. Physical limitations (disability, chronic illness, reduced physical strength, reduced abilities), emotional limitations (tragic wounds, bad memories, personality defects, genetic factors, extreme personalities), and intellectual or talent limitations.
Most people think that because of this, they will not be used by God. But God is not limited by our limitations. God likes to put His great power in an ordinary vessel. “We keep this treasure in earthen vessels. This great power is of God, not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
2. Our Attitude to Weaknesses
Everyone has weaknesses, and everyone has a different attitude towards them. In order for us to be used by God even in our weaknesses, we must have the right biblical attitude toward our weaknesses.
1) Acknowledge your weaknesses.
Paul knew and saw that he had a thorn in the flesh, and he wanted God to fix it. But God let it be. Paul took it for granted.
People pretend they have it all, denying or making excuses. But in order for God to lift us up, we must be honest about our weaknesses. Rather, you should make an active effort to discover your weaknesses. The confession that Paul disallowed sacrificing to the people who wanted to worship him as a god in Athens must come out of our mouths, saying, “We also have the same disposition as you” (Acts 14:15).
In order for God to use us, we must know God and know ourselves. We are just people full of weaknesses. Only those who accept this fact are used by God.
2) Be content with your weaknesses.
Paul confessed that he rejoiced greatly that he had a thorn in the flesh. It's a confession that doesn't make sense logically. We want to break free from our weaknesses. Not satisfied with it. But it is our faith in God's goodness that makes us content despite our weaknesses. “God, I believe that God loves me. And I also believe that God knows what is best for me.”
Paul gave several reasons why we should be content despite our weaknesses.
① Weaknesses make us depend on God. Whenever I feel weak, my weakness reminds me to turn to God. “Therefore, I rejoice in infirmities, insults, privations, persecutions, and hardships for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
② Weaknesses prevent us from becoming arrogant. Paul said, “People may overestimate me because of the great revelations I have received. Therefore, to keep me from becoming arrogant, God has given me a thorn in my body. It can be said that he is Satan's servant, so that he may strike me with it so that I will not become arrogant” (2 Corinthians 12:7). God sometimes adds weaknesses to our strengths to control our ego. Weaknesses prevent us from getting ahead of God. Yes / Gideon's army was reduced from 32,000 to 300.
③ Weakness is because it promotes fellowship among believers. While our strengths create an independent spirit (I don't need anyone), our weaknesses show how much we need each other. Weaving our weaknesses together creates tremendous strength. “Christians are like snowflakes, each weak, but together they can block traffic.” (Vance Habner)
④ Weakness is because it greatly increases sympathy for others and tolerance of ministry. A person with weaknesses can be more compassionate and considerate of the weaknesses of others. People find healing in our weaknesses rather than in our strengths. The most effective message we can shout comes from our deep wounds. The things we feel most ashamed of, the things we feel most guilty about, and the things we do not want to tell others, are the most powerful tools God uses to heal others. Moses' temperament, Gideon's low self-esteem and deep-seated anxiety, Abraham's fear, Peter's impulsive and weak will, and David the adulterer all had weaknesses, but God used them to make them strong.
God is the expert in turning our weaknesses into strengths.
3) Be honest about your weaknesses.
Ministry starts with weakness. The more we lift our shields, the more we take off our masks and share our pain, the more God can use us to serve others. Paul frankly admitted his weaknesses. “I do not do the good things that I want, but I do the evil things I do not want” (Romans 7:19). “Brothers and sisters, I want you to know the tribulation we experienced in Asia. We are so overwhelmed with power that we have finally lost our hope of living” (2 Corinthians 1:8). “When I was with you, I was weak, afraid, and very trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3).
Paul testifies that all these confessions brought great benefits to his ministry. “We are afflicted so that you may be comforted and saved, and when we are comforted it is so that you may be comforted. With this comfort you endure the same afflictions that we suffer” (2 Corinthians 1:6).
Weaknesses are, of course, dangerous. Exposing weaknesses can be frightening. They are also at risk of being rejected by others. But the benefits it brings make it worth the risk.
God gives grace to the humble. Humility is not denying our strengths and demeaning ourselves, but rather being honest about our weaknesses. The more honest we are, the richer we will taste God's grace and the more we will receive favor from others. People are attracted to the humble. Arrogance drives people away, but honesty attracts people. Weakness is the road to intimacy.
This is why God wants us to use our weaknesses, not just our strengths. Seeing God use me in spite of my weaknesses, many people will feel and expect that I can be used by God. Our strengths create competition, but our weaknesses create community.
You can impress people far away, but if you want to influence them, you have to go. Getting close will expose our weaknesses. Fine. The most essential quality of a leader is reliability, not perfection. People have to trust the leader to follow. Trust is built by being honest and not pretending to be perfect.
Satan will point out our weaknesses and try to lower our morale and drive us out of the field of ministry. Acknowledge pointed weaknesses. And rely on and praise Jesus, who understands all our weaknesses, and the Holy Spirit, who helps us in our weaknesses.
God uses the weak. So sometimes we turn our strengths into weaknesses. He struck a large tendon in Jacob's hip bone that made him limp and made him depend on God for the rest of his life.
Rather than living with a strong image for the rest of your life, if you can be used by God while limping for the rest of your life, the belief that you will go down that path will bring you great grace, glory, and reward, and will build a healthy community and please all the saints.
I pray in the name of the Lord that we may praise God for using our weaknesses and build a healthy community by humbly obeying Him.