| | | | Strength Through Weakness - 2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10
In our culture, weakness is not seen as a positive attribute. We want our country to be strong, and our leaders to show strength. The gym is full of people that want to be strong. "Live Strong" is the mantra.
Now there's nothing wrong with being strong, but the Apostle Paul makes an interesting point when it comes to spiritual matters: When we are weak, then we are strong.
Look at Paul's life; Was he a weak or strong man? To me, the man who traveled the ancient world spreading the gospel of Jesus despite the fiercest persecutions, who endured shipwrecks and imprisonment, who preached to kings and slaves, who established strong churches and trained up their leaders… Paul was not a weak man. In light of his life and accomplishments, we would have to say that Paul was a very strong man.
However, Paul understood that he was only strong because he knew his weaknesses, and he looked outside of himself for the strength of God's grace. And what great grace that was! Looking at the list of things Paul endured, I doubt any one of us would want to follow those footsteps. It would be more than we could bear, and I believe that was Paul's message. His trials and tribulations were more than he could bear, on his own. See it wasn't Paul's strength that carried him through all of those situations, Paul knew well it was the grace of God that strengthened him:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
If we want lives of such strength, then we need to recognize and admit our weakness, then look to God alone for the grace that will carry us through the trials of this life.
"Lord, help me to reach out each day and ask you for the grace to carry me through."
Pastor Clay | | | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment