Our Weaknesses Can Strengthen Us
Strength out of weakness, sounds a little impossible doesn’t it? How can something that makes us weak cause us to be strong?
It sounds like a paradox, strength out of weakness, it is a phrase that at first may not seem to make a lot of sense, many in the world today would consider weakness as a problem, as something negative. My prayer is this morning that each of us will grasp how our weaknesses can actually strengthen us.
Maybe you have come here this morning feeling drained, maybe there are problems, or situations, or circumstances in your life that are causing you to feel weak. Maybe there is something going on in the life of someone you know that is causing distress. God can bring Healing and Wholeness into each of our lives today.
The Bible teaches us that God is able to turn weakness into strength. What may seem impossible to us is possible for God, God can use our weaknesses to strengthen us.
In the bible there are many examples of how God works in the lives of His people. People who in the eyes of the world, and even at times in their own eyes seemed weak, yet God accomplished great things in them and through them.
When they seemed to be at their weakest, when the circumstances seemed impossible, when the odds were against them and the situation was grim, that was when God stepped in, that was when God acted, when God transformed, when God moved in miraculous ways, when God showed that weakness could be turned to strength.
Need an example from God’s Word?
In Hebrews 11 we read these words: It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith, these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. (Hebrews 11:32-34)
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel. Heroes of the faith, people who accomplished great things, people who knew great blessing. But they were people who were not perfect, they had problems, they had situations, they had times of distress, times of pain, times of suffering, times of weakness. Yet see those words: Their weakness was turned to strength! God worked in them and through them, God changed and transformed them! God strengthened them and He can strengthen you and me this morning.
These heroes of faith were not perfect, you and I are not perfect, we stumble, we make mistakes, circumstances affect us, situations bring us down, our sin damaged bodies experience illness and fatigue, but God can turn our weakness to strength, God can bring healing and wholeness to our lives.
That was an example of people from Old Testament times, let's consider someone from the New Testament. Let’s think about the Apostle Paul for a moment.
Paul, perhaps one of the most important figures in the history of the Western world. A quick look at the headlines of Paul’s life is enough to understand his impact on the world; his letters are some of the earliest Christian writings we have, 13 of the 27 books of the bible are written by him, and some would describe him as the hero of another, the book of Acts.
Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, he traveled thousands of miles around the Mediterranean spreading the Gospel, telling people about Jesus.
Paul was born in Tarsus, in modern-day Eastern Turkey, he was a tentmaker by trade, he was a student of the most renowned Jewish teacher in Jerusalem and he was also a Roman citizen.
Paul was both a man who could work with his hands and write with the eloquence of a Greek philosopher. But Paul was not perfect, his life was not trouble-free, and he wrote of a weakness in his own life, a thorn in his flesh, a weakness that God used to make him strong.
Paul learned how to be strong in the broken places of life. His weaknesses did not destroy him. With God’s help, he gained strength out of his weaknesses.
Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words from 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
I was given a thorn in my flesh... Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My strength works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
When I am weak, then I am strong. The preacher Andrew Murray in his book Abide in Christ makes this comment about these words of the Apostle Paul.
“The Christian often tries to forget his weakness; God wants us to remember it, to feel it deeply. The Christian wants to conquer his weakness and to be freed from it; God wants us to rest and even rejoice in it. The Christian mourns over his weakness; Christ teaches His servant to say, ‘I take pleasure in my weaknesses. The Christian thinks his weaknesses are his greatest hindrance in the life and service of God; God tells us that it is the secret of strength and success. It is our weakness, heartily accepted and continually realized, that gives our claim and access to the strength of Him who has said, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness ".
The Apostle Paul was confronted by situations that should have ended in death, he was put in prison often, whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
On five separate occasions, he was whipped by the Jewish leaders who gave him thirty-nine lashes.
Three times he was beaten with rods.
Once he was stoned.
Three times he was shipwrecked.
He once spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.
He traveled on many long and dangerous journeys.
He faced danger from rivers and from robbers.
He faced danger from his own people, the Jews, and from the Gentiles.
He faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas.
He faced danger from men who claim to be believers but were not.
He worked long and hard and endured many sleepless nights.
He knew what it was to be hungry and thirsty and often went without food.
He even shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep Him warm.
He endured all of that yet by the grace of God he was able to write in Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
How do we apply this in our own lives today? How can our weaknesses strengthen us?
Before we come to our time of prayer, let us briefly consider five ways our weaknesses can strengthen us:
1. First, our weaknesses can strengthen our faith in God.
The apostle Paul had great faith in God. The basis of his faith was a deep personal relationship with Jesus. Paul’s favorite expression to describe this relationship was “in Christ.”
In 2 Timothy 1:12 Paul wrote, “For I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until the day of His return.”
Do you have that faith in God? A deep faith, something that is more than just a casual relationship with God.
When we allow Jesus to be the Lord of our daily lives, then we experience His presence, and His strength during times of weaknesses.
Friends, it is only a real, strong, genuine faith in God that is adequate during the weaknesses of life.
2. Our weaknesses can strengthen our awareness of God.
The weakness from the thorn in his flesh did not stop Paul from discovering the destiny that God had for Paul’s life.
God’s purpose and plan for Paul was to preach the Gospel, to tell make others aware of the plan of salvation.
Paul’s awareness of the reality of God and the truth about who Jesus was gave him two overwhelming purposes for his life. First, he wanted every person in his world to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Second, he wanted every believer to be Christ-like in thoughts and actions.
Paul refused to let his weakness keep him from his destiny. Our awareness of God’s presence in our lives can strengthen us. Instead of focusing on our problems or discomforts, we are to focus on Jesus and be aware of his help, aware of His guidance, aware of God’s plan and purpose for us.
3. Our weaknesses can strengthen our friendship (with God and others).
Paul had the support of others during his times of weakness. Soon after his conversion, believers in Damascus welcomed him. Ananias called him “Brother Saul” (Acts 9:17).
Barnabas took Paul to the apostles and told them how Paul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also told the disciples how Paul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. People in churches across Asia Minor, Macedonia, Achaia, and Italy also helped Paul.
To help us with the weaknesses God has provided us with a church family. As God’s people, we are bound together in friendship and fellowship. We are called together as church, as the children of God, as disciples of Jesus, to care for one another, to love one another, to minister to one another, to forgive one another, to pray for one another, and to support one another.
Perhaps it was because of the thorn in his flesh that Paul was able and willing to help others. Paul was able to empathize with others. Paul knew what it was to suffer. Paul had found strength from God during his weaknesses and he told others who were hurting where to find help.
4. Our weaknesses can strengthen our motivation to pray.
In whatever circumstance or situation we find ourselves in, we can pray and trust that God will listen to our prayer. When everything is rosy, when everything is calm, when everything seems to be going our way, that is often when prayer drops down our list of priorities.
Then something happens that causes us to seek God in prayer. So we pray and we expect God to act even before we say Amen. God’s timing is always perfect. God knows the end from the beginning and everything in-between and He knows the perfect time for everything that happens in our lives.
Prayer should be a constant part of our lives, not just when we feel weak, not just when there are problems or situations or circumstances that drive us to God. Daily we should be motivated to pray and speak to the God who loves us and cares for us. Daily we can be strengthened by prayer.
5. Our weaknesses can strengthen our hope in God.
Paul looked beyond the weaknesses to a greater time. Paul was not pessimistic about his life he had a firm and certain hope in God. In the midst of his weaknesses, Paul loved life. Part of his great love for life was his optimistic view of his destiny in Christ - an eternity in Heaven. Heaven is there any greater hope for us as believers. When we repent and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we have the assurance of sins forgiven and eternal life.
We may experience the weaknesses of life now, but they will not last forever. When we step into eternity, because of our saving faith in Jesus, we will receive a new body, a body immune from physical and emotional disorders.No more pain, no more suffering, and eternity with God - there is no greater hope, no greater joy.
The final thought is this, the weaknesses of life do not have to make us weaker. With God’s help, we will gain strength during times of weaknesses. God is able to transform the weak and wounded into the strong and resilient.
God wants you to be transformed.
God is able to bring Healing and Wholeness into all of our lives.
God can transform us in many ways,
God can use the power of His Spirit.
God can use the power of His Word.
God wants to encourage you.
God wants to bless you.
Will you allow God to use your weaknesses to strengthen you so that you can say with the Apostle Paul, "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Amen
