The Theme of Weakness

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (2 Cor. 11:30, ESV)

What weaknesses have you been struggling with? Those things that are not sins, nor reflect a lack of diligence, but are simply areas in which we are frail in some way. The root word means "feeble." I just recently finished reading through 2 Corinthians and was struck by how strong the theme of weakness is in the book. Paul actually boasts in his frailties!

Corinth had accused Paul of being weaker face-to-face than in his letters(2 Cor. 10:10). In his second letter to them - in which Paul defends his apostleship against those who try to claim his authority is illegitimate - Paul strikingly doesn't defend himself against the claim of weakness. Instead, he embraces it.

Paul's boasting in what shows his weakness is a contrast to the false teachers who boast in their authority (11:12-21). He so identifies with those struggling in the church that he feels their weaknesses (11:28-29). In a well-known passage, he relates his experiential encounter in the third heaven, and the resultant thorn in the flesh, noting that in that weakness God's power would be perfected (12:1-10). And he brings out no less an example than Christ Himself to show that weakness in the flesh is not counter to the power of God (13:1-4). He desires them to be strong spiritually(13:9) - but his example demonstrates that the highway to spiritual strength is formed over the wagon trails of human weakness.

Why is it so hard for us to "get" this lesson? It is hardwired into us to want to be "good" at something, and to gravitate toward things we find easier. An entire branch of psychology, called "positive psychology", exalts strengths and basically encourages people to focus on strengths rather than correcting weaknesses. When this infiltrates the church, we find it hard to talk about our struggles and find ourselves only doing things that make us look competent.

As usual, Satan has counterfeited something of God's. Yes, God gave us spiritual gifts, talents and abilities to use for Him ... and the hand should never try to be the eye, and the mouth shouldn't try to be the heart. But when our focus becomes "our gifts", "our strengths", we lose sight of how God is glorified in our weaknesses. We forget they are gifts not "of Christians", but "of the Spirit" - and He asks for obedience and cooperation, not a selfish focus on what we do well. When He calls us to a task, He gives us what we need for that task (2 Peter 1:3) -- and yes it is generally in line with gifts we've "fanned into flames" in our spiritual walk with God (2 Tim. 1:6). But we can't forget that our gifts are His, and our strength is His, and our individual weaknesses of the flesh only highlight His power more.

Are you struggling with the language, the climate, the lack of sleep where you are? God's power can make your weakness the very path on which His glory is revealed to those around you. Your weakness can become strength.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:9-10, ESV)