Strength Through Weakness

Actualization of an incredible promise

Truth: the ever-evasive concept which one might spend an entire lifetime in search of, and yet never experience the joy of it being realized in their lives, if the search is not directed to God; the ultimate Truth.

And yet, even if one has found the truth, it may not necessarily be actualized in his life.  For, many who read the Bible (a means by which God imparts His truth to us), read over a certain part which submits a truth claim, and yes, one might even agree that this certain passage is, indeed, true. However, when it comes to turning said truth into reality, it is another story.

As an example of how difficult it can be to actually allow truth to be realized in our lives, let us look at the following passage found in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

“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.”

In context, Paul was relating his experience with his infamous “thorn in the flesh.” While we don’t know exactly what Paul’s affliction was, we do know that it was a severely grievous calamity.

Now, let us look at this incredible truth claim that Paul has made. “When I am weak, then I am strong.” When I read this one day during my Bible study, I had to read back over the list of afflictions Paul mentions. He lists weaknesses such as being insulted, enduring hardships (note, this is the guy that later on would be beheaded for his faith; he was stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, beaten, etc.), persecutions, and calamities. My initial reaction after reading this was, “wow, what did Paul have that I don’t?” If Paul could take these horrible things, and be made the stronger by some magic potion, I’d like to have the formula. Either this claim is entirely dichotomous, and when we are weak, we are just weak; there’s nothing to be done about it. Or, it’s actually true, and it is absolutely possible for us to access this strength.

But wait, isn’t this the very concept of our salvation? Salvation through Jesus Christ comes when one humbles himself, realizes his truly wretched and miserable state of affairs; repents of his sin and gives everything to God. For salvation to work, it requires humility and abasement, realizing our extreme weakness and accepting God’s strength, such that Christ may able to fill us with His strength, grace and peace.

So, how is this truth to be realized in our lives? How might we, around 2,000 years after Paul experiences this “strength through weakness,” somehow be able to have this in our own lives?

The answer is found in Hebrews 11. There, Paul lists many names of people who, by faith, had overcome extreme circumstances. In verses 32-34, Paul writes,

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

Now, apparently Paul is saying that as a result of faith in God, our weakness is turned into strength. But, now there is another problem; what is this faith by which we access the strength? Well, by the definition Paul had given earlier in chapter 11 of Hebrews, faith is “the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” So, by this hope that we have in God and His truth, we are able to be made strong, through even our greatest trials.

Recently I’ve had to learn how to apply this truth to my life. Through various events which had taken place, I found myself in a place of extreme weakness. It was then that I discovered this truth, and decided that if I could access this, it would mean the end of trying to struggle through the mess on my own ‘strength,’ and mean giving myself wholeheartedly to God through faith. Although it is a process, and it requires effort, I’ve sensed God’s strength flowing through me, when I entrust my faith to Him; giving Him my weakness. I’ve sensed His power.

Remember now, Paul said he literally “boasts gladly” because of his weakness, since that is the channel by which God’s strength flows. I am not quite sure I am yet to the point of being able to boast in my weakness. However, I’ve learned that if I’m in a season of weakness, that is actually something that, while it is extremely unpleasant to my human nature, that is when I draw the closest to God and experience His strength in my life. And that strength is something worth boasting of.

In conclusion, let us not be satisfied to merely read over this truth and not actualize the meaning, or other similar claims in the Bible; let us allow them to be realized in our lives, such that when we go through extreme circumstances, we shall be able to boast of God’s strength being shown in our lives.