There are Bible verses I only believe for as long as it takes to read them.Take this one, for instance:
“ 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.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
I like it when I read it.
I believe it flashes of faith
but like a theater marquee on Broadway during the depression
when a few of my bulbs burn out
my faith wanes
and this passage loses its romance,
its luster,
its appeal.
I want to believe this verse
because I know God’s word is true
it appears on the platform of my soul
like a flash mob
momentarily brightening my day
but forgotten in the moment
it takes to share it
on Facebook
What my daily life shows
is that I’m still sold on the lie
that God’s power is magnified by my excellent effort, my victories, my spiritual achievements,
my gifts, my talents, my strengths, my brilliant ever-ready soul.
I mean, seriously,
there is shame in my weakness – not power
insults make me smaller
hardships sap the strength I need for following Jesus
persecution ratchets up my discouragement and fear and I know those aren’t spiritual – in fact, the argument can be made that they are sinful
and difficulties would disappear,
wouldn’t they?
if I was living in the center of God’s will,
working out of my giftings,
living free from sin,
walking with the Lord,
keeping short accounts,
having daily devotions,
submitting,
obeying,
tithing,
rejoicing,
anointed,
full of the Spirit,
and leaning on Jesus?
I mean,
if I were enjoying my freedom in Christ
wouldn’t hardship and difficulty
disappear?
I know I needed His grace to get into the family
but shouldn’t I be carrying some of my own weight by now?
This verse would indicate otherwise.
Loud in my ears
are the shouts and sly whispers
that nothing good comes from my weakness
that God looks upon it with disgust,
turns His head away
and goes around looking for a more deserving disciple
with whom to spend time
And then this passage comes along
and walks that bully out of the room
like a team of secret service agents
removing a heckler from a presidential speech.
God clears His throat
and repeats Himself
(patiently, because He knows I’m slow
and He’s undaunted by my slowness)
“ 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.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
And I’m forced to consider
the audacious notion
that these words are more true
than the lies I’ve believed.
If anyone would be ashamed of weakness,
it would have been Paul,
I mean, Paul was one together guy
but here he says he delights in weakness.
I sure can’t do that without His power
which He says is made perfect in weakness.
I should be getting pretty close to attaining that perfection soon
(just kidding).
So now, as I sit here
on my ash heap of hardships, persecutions, and difficulties
I have something real to consider
more real than the ashes
more real than the lies
more real than the shame
as real as nail scars
that can be touched and seen.
Make me a believer, Jesus. Help my unbelief.
Even a flash mob can grow . . .
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w.o.w.
i have thought these words.
o Lord, help my unbelief…
Wonderful article.
Wonderful flash mob.
Thank you for this post, Lori! As always, you challenge my faith and cause me to take a closer look at the Word of God and my own beliefs.
Blessings, my friend,
Jan
Oh yes
I hate my weakness, any hardships or problems. Because I can’t always fix them myself. But that’s the point. It forces me to depend on God. That’s how HIS power is made perfect in my weakness. If only it were easy to remember that in the midst of it all.