Yes, I am Weak

Scripture:
2 Corinthians 12:1-10 (NIV):

I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Devotional:

“I give it to God…” is a statement we hear people say all the time. I know I have said it time after time.  The problem is that way too often we take it back.  Do we truly surrender our problems, dreams, worries to God?  Who among us have looked upon our weakness and saw worthlessness?  I know I have from time to time.  I have thought that I am not able to, or that I can’t do that.  I am too weak or that I don’t know how.  Another thought I have had was that there are others more qualified or better skilled than me. 

Through the grace of God and strong friendships my thoughts have turned around.  True there are times it is still a struggle.  But, the bottom line is that God finds the worth in us regardless of where we are in life, and regardless of how we feel about ourselves.  It is in our weakness that God’s glory can shine the greatest.  Look at David when he faced Goliath.  In the eyes of the world David was no match for Goliath.  He should have been easy kill for Goliath.  Instead God used someone the world saw as insignificant with no battle experience to defeat a great and mighty warrior.  That day when Goliath fell there was no doubt who won the day.  It wasn’t a great general but God who used a simple shepherd boy to win the battle.  

We all have weaknesses, or as Paul put it a thorn in our side.  Are we surrendering our lives to God?  Are we allowing His grace to be sufficient for us?  God told Paul that His grace is sufficient and Paul rejoiced in his weakness.  Paul allowed God to work through that weakness.  In Paul’s weakness God made him strong.  Is God working in you?  Are you lifted up by Grace through your weakness?