The Paradox of Being Strong When We’re Weak

Is there an area in your life that you feel very insecure and incapable of handling? As long as we live on this earth we all have such weaknesses. Only God is perfect in everyway.

The Apostle Paul had his great successes as God’s messenger to the Gentiles but he also had weaknesses. The Epistles he wrote in the Bible still teach and minister to Christians today. Many people come to God through his writings.

God gave him a weakness so he would depend on God and not on his own abilities. After asking God three times to remove it he was finally convinced that God could do more through him with his weak spot than will all his capabilities and wisdom.

“Each time he said, ‘No. But I am with you; that is all you need. M power shows up best in weak people.’ Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite happy about the ‘the thorn,’ and about insults and hardships. Persecutions and difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong – the less I have, the more I depend on him.” 2nd Corinthians 12: 9 and 10 [The Living Bible]

God chose Gideon to save Israel from its enemy, the Midianites, who came in to plunder their crops and animals every year. Gideon didn’t feel capable of this task, and like us at times, he probably looked around to see who God was speaking to. After he received a few signs from God that He would really give him the victory he was finally convinced.

Then God made it even harder for him in telling him he had way too many soldiers. Not until only 300 soldiers remained of his 32,000 did God give him the go ahead. So when they went to war and gained the victory all the honor and all the glory went to God. They knew they surely didn’t do it.

That is what God wants to do in my life and in your life. But I for one find it very hard to be so vulnerable. Yet that is how God grows our faith.

Our faith needs to be exercised to grow. It’s when our faith is shaken to the core that it becomes unshakable. God can only use us if we recognize the success comes from him not from our wisdom or abilities.

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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.

Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.

Today read:
Judges 7:1-8:17
Luke 23:13-43
Psalm 97:1-98:9
Proverbs 14:7-8

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