When weakness heralds the greatest strength

What is weakness? In one sense, that’s a simple question. Weakness is a lack of strength. But if you think about a bit more, you can end up questioning the definition of strength upon which you have based your definition of weakness. And if you think about it even more you come to realise that sometimes society’s view of what strength and weakness are can be at odds with our experience and what the Bible tells us.

I’m not ashamed to admit that, in and of myself, I am weak. But God has shown me so many times that in the very act of acknowledging that there is great strength. And that strength comes from Him alone. With God at my side through every step of my life, I couldn’t be stronger.

I am strong because my weakness forces me to rely not on myself or my own strength but on God. When the chips are down and things seem to be going badly, I know there’s no point relying on my fallible human nature to get me through. But, far greater than that, I know I can rely fully on the love, grace, mercy and faithfulness of the Lord to give me the strength and direction I need.

In the Bible, 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 9-10, says, “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.”

There are many examples in the Bible of times when God has demonstrated strength by working in people’s weakest moments. Paul and Silas were in chains when God’s power came upon their prison cell with an earthquake and spoke into the heart of their jailer in Acts chapter 16. Lazarus was dead when God worked through Jesus to show His power and bring the stricken man back to life in John chapter 11. In earthly human terms, you can’t get any weaker than dead.

If you look at your own life, perhaps you can think of times where strength has been demonstrated in times when you felt at your weakest. And perhaps you can think of times when you’ve felt confident in your own strength but things haven’t turned out as you’d hoped or planned.

Sometimes it’s worth us all remembering that weakness is not, well, a weakness, but can actually be a starting point for the greatest strength to work in our lives.

If we embrace our human weakness we can in turn embrace the strength of God.

Sarah Moore is the author of For the Love of Lentil, A journey of longing, loss and abundant grace, which tells the story of her experience of pregnancy and miscarriage. Copies of the book are available here.