Devotionals
Strength in Weakness
August 18, 2017 | Tags: Abigail, Strength
Please welcome our guest writer for this week, Abigail George. Abigail is one of our keynote speakers at our “Come Away With Me” event on Saturday, October 21 at Grove Church in Richmond, Virginia.
Please visit comeaway.me to learn more!
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
-2 Corinthians 12:10b
“Look deep within yourself to find your inner strength. If you just believe in YOU, there is nothing you can’t overcome. You are not weak! Be strong! Yes, YOU can do this!” These compelling words joined by the thunderous response from the crowd take you to a motivational peak that renders you invincible.
But eventually the speech is over, the room is empty and you have to go home to your life. You begin to look deep within yourself for the inner strength only to find the weakness you found the last time. You get so tired of trying to be strong, and somehow, believing in yourself too often gets trumped by life’s circumstances. The high from the motivational speech is unsustainable.
You can be encouraged today, because as believers in Christ, our greatest strength can be found in our greatest weakness. Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12: 9a). Because of this, we can say like the apostle Paul, “Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9b –10).
There is strength in weakness. Christ perfectly demonstrated this paradox when he died on the cross. “In fact, He was crucified in weakness, but He lives by God’s power” (2 Corinthians 13:4a). Christ died in weakness, but He arose with all power and strength. Because of His strength we are strong.
Friends, whatever strength we claim is only because Christ lives within us. Because we know this we can say with confidence, “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). We can overcome anything because He overcame. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Yes, this world with its disappointments, tragedy, and pain is already overcome by Christ. Therefore, we are overcomers!
The deeper you look within yourself for strength to handle your circumstances, the longer you will take to find it. Look to Christ, recognize your weaknesses and give them over to Him. It is in Christ your strength is found. For when you are weak, then you are strong.
By Abigail George
