The Apostle Paul was a pretty incredible guy. When we talk about great Christians, we will always recognize him. He had great insight, and incredible drive to share God’s love, and he was brilliant… what’s not to like? That is kinda what he talks about in this passage. But he says that even though he has a lot to boast about, he realizes that his greatest strength is when he is the weakest.
6If I had a mind to brag a little, I could probably do it without looking ridiculous, and I’d still be speaking plain truth all the way. But I’ll spare you. I don’t want anyone imagining me as anything other than the fool you’d encounter if you saw me on the street or heard me talk.
7Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! 8At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, 9and then he told me, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. 10Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 TMSGWhy? Why would we be stronger by being weaker? I’m not exactly a genius, but that doesn’t seem to add up…
I had to struggle with this question a lot. I like to do things for myself for the most part. I like to know that I am capable. I like to feel strong! But my problem is that I was trying to live my Christian life as the strong guy… the unstoppable force… the one that was going to change the world… I was going to show God just how strong I was, and how important to His Kingdom I was. Man was that stupid!
What I didn’t realize is that I don’t have to be strong, I don’t need to change the world, and I don’t need to be an unstoppable force because Jesus has already done these things! He is the one who is strong! He is the one who is capable! I didn’t realize that by trying to do everything on my own, I was really robbing God of His glory! He already changed everything, I just need to walk in that change!
So, when Paul says that the weaker he gets, the stronger he becomes, it is because in his weakness, God’s strength takes over. We have to realize that we can’t do this without Him. If we could change the world, we would have done it already. If we had the strength, we wouldn’t need God.
But, we don’t have the ability. We don’t have the strength. And we can’t do it. Paul’s statement isn’t so much telling us to be weak, but he is telling us to realize that we already are. God doesn’t need rock stars or super heroes. He needs the weak. He receives the greatest glory when His strength passes through someone that is obviously incapable. Because then it is Him who did it. He is the one who receives the fame and honor. He is strong… we are weak… and that’s the way He like it!
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