Our Strength Grows Out Of Our Weaknesses

“Our strength grows out of our weaknesses”

Ralph Waldo Emerson, I would like to start with this quote and boast about weakness.

When we boast we always boast of our achievements and never in the slightest idea of boasting our weakness. We are scared to share that we are weak in some areas of life. This fear puts us into a false masking but on the contrary bible tells that Paul an apostle decided to boast – boast only about his weakness despite of his immense successful endeavors. The particular reason for this is that in our weakness the strength of God becomes perfected. Therefore to Paul it was always better for him to boast of his weakness thereby bringing glory to God. Let me share a scripture and take you through two individuals in the bible who struggled with their weaknesses and how one became an overcomer and the other lost to his weakness totally.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

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. Let us read the following passages to have a better understanding, first let us read from Luke 22:3-6 and then read from Matthew 27:1-10

The weakness of Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot as we know was one of the 12 disciples Jesus had and what was special about him is that he was the only non-Galilean in the lot. Some scholars say the word Iscariot mean aristocratic probably Judas was an aristocrat and still had a pleasure for money which was his weakness. Some other scholars suggest that the word Iscariot mean that he was a man from Kerioth and kind of belonged to the sicarri group who were against the Romans. Though these are extra biblical facts, the biblical fact tell us in John 12:6 he was the keeper of money box and he helped himself with it whenever needed. According to the scriptures Satan entered Judas and as a result he betrayed, he was looking for an opportune time to betray him. He decided on this big task of betraying a harmless master whose influence he enjoyed for about three and a half years. His major weakness was money; in fact he sold his integrity for just 30 silver coins. There was no other reason than money since never was Judas upset over Jesus ideas or teachings or there was no personal grudge either.

The worst hit him, not when he betrayed but when he knew he was guilty of committing a grave error. We read in Matthew 27:1-4, he went to the chief priests and said that he sinned against God and betrayed an innocent blood but the response was not what Judas expected, they told him it was purely his responsibility and they had nothing to do after Jesus was betrayed. He was filled with remorse and committed suicide. The greatest blunder that Judas did was not betraying Jesus for 30 silver coins but going to the wrong source for the remedy, eventually he had to kill himself. Weakness is not a problem as long as we go the right resource of receiving the power in the weak areas of life. Because the bible tells us that his grace is sufficient in our weakness and his strength would take over our weakness. A lesson for our living is to go to Jesus for the help cause our help comes from the maker of the heavens and the earth. What a misery Judas began with Jesus but ended with the chief priests, it was not the chief priests who called be part of the twelve? Just think about it…let us read Luke 22:31-34/54-62.

The weakness of Simon Peter

Another key personality in the bible is Peter, he was also an apostle of Jesus, and I would say if I have to compare with Judas, that Peter was the man who had only weakness and never the strength. Peter was an impulsive personality; he was quick with everything good and the bad equally. When Jesus asked him to cast the net in the deep after a long nights struggle he did so without a second thought was willing to follow Jesus leaving all the fish caught. When Jesus walked on water he wanted to walk too. When Jesus was transfigured on the mount of transfiguration he wanted to make tents and settle there. He refuted Jesus from being taken the cross; Jesus called Peter – a satan. When the soldiers came into arrest Jesus Peter drew a sword and chopped off Malchus’ ear. More than anything he said even if it was death because of Jesus he was wiling to die. With all of these weaknesses one thing Peter did, he always sought Jesus and no one else. Jesus told the disciples that he prayed for them and especially to Peter since he would sifted as wheat. In spite of the prayer Jesus told him very clearly that he would deny Christ three times before the rooster could crow twice.