I am weak . . . yet by God’s power I am strong. I AM with you; that is all I need.
God loves to use weak people. Everyone has weaknesses. In fact, I have a bundle of flaws and imperfections: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. I also have uncontrollable circumstances that weaken me, such as financial or relational limitations or even my health problems. The more important issue is, what I do with these. Sometimes I deny my weaknesses, defend them, excuse them, hide them, and resent them but most of the time i showed and accepted my weaknesses specially to my close friends. This prevents God from using them the way he desires.
God has a different perspective on my weaknesses. He says, “My thoughts and my ways are higher than mine,” so he often acts in ways that are the exact opposite of what I expect. I think that God only wants to use my strengths, but he also wants to use my weaknesses for his glory.
My weaknesses are not an accident. God deliberately allowed them in my life for the purpose of demonstrating his power through me.
God loves to use imperfect, ordinary people to do extraordinary things in spite of their weaknesses. If God only used perfect people, nothing would ever get done, because none of us is flawless,none of us is perfect..
A "weakness", or “thorn” may be a physical limitation, like a handicap, a chronic illness, or a disability. It may be an emotional limitation, such as a trauma scar, a hurtful memory, or a personality quirk.
When I think of the limitation in my life, I may be tempted to conclude, “God could never use me.” But God is never limited by my limitations. In fact, he enjoys putting his great power into ordinary containers. The Bible says, “We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from me.”Like common pottery, I am fragile and flawed and break easily. But God will use me if I allow him to work through my weaknesses.
I admit my weaknesses....my imperfections. I stop pretending to have it all together, and be honest about myself. Instead of living in denial or making excuses, I take the time to identify my personal weaknesses.
“I am only human being like anyone.”If I want God to use me, I must know who God is and know who I am.
Whenever I feel weak, God is reminding me to depend on him. God specializes in turning weaknesses into strengths. He wants to take my greatest weakness and transform it.
The more I let down my guard, take off my mask, and share my struggles, the more God will be able to use me. I just need to be honest with other. But of course, vulnerability is risky. It can be scary to lower my defenses and open up my life to others. When I reveal my failures, feelings, frustrations, and fears, I risk rejection. But the benefits are worth the risk. Opening up relieves stress and defuses my fears.
I have already seen that God “gives grace to the humble,” but many misunderstand humility. Humility is not putting myself down or denying my strengths; rather, it is being honest about my weaknesses. The more honest I am, the more of God’s grace I get. Pretentiousness repels but authenticity attracts, and vulnerability is the pathway to intimacy.
This is why God wants to use my weaknesses, not just my strengths. Sometimes, however, God turns a strength into a weakness in order to use me even more.
“My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9A (NIV)
