Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)
Yesterday, I talked about everyone finds their strength to be too small at some point. A normal response in these moments is to turn inward and self protect – fighting or taking flight. No one wants to feel weak or to fail. The truth is we all do, and it isn’t shameful. It’s human.
The question is then, what do we do when we find ourselves lacking and/or failing?
Get stronger so you don’t fail under pressure?
That’s a rational and normal response. In fact, I think it’s partially the right response. Partially.
When we come to this conclusion on our own it often leads to one of two internal responses. One, we dig in, work harder, and push to get better. Nothing wrong with hard work, it’s actually a Biblical value, but left all to our own effort and strength and it’s going to lead to the same outcome eventually. Failure, weakness and a “I just have to get better” response that is an endless cycle of exhaustion.
The other way we respond, is by giving up. We just embrace the failure and internalize it. We go from “I failed at that” to “I’m a failure.” It’s a subtle change but it is absolutely crushing. It’s shame. It’s guilt. It’s a burden. It’s willingly putting on a yoke of oppression that is not of God and is not truth. Instead of working harder we just don’t work at all.
Either of these responses are not best. There can be some good in the hard work but it ultimately will leave you broken and frustrated again. So what’s the better way? As is the case so many times in life, it’s about a better way. Not what’s right or wrong. What’s better?
The better way forward is what Paul talked of in 2 Corinthians 12:9. It’s called grace. You don’t minimize your weakness and ignore it. You don’t make it bigger than it is or make it your identity. You affirm your weaknesses. You also, affirm God’s strength. You recognize that he lacks nothing. His strength is never too small. He never fails.
His perfection works best within our imperfection. The imperfect is made perfect in the great I AM. Try it another way…. i’mPERFECT.
There is still hard work and growth in this. But our hope isn’t in our own ability. It’s in God. Our security, positive out look, confidence are in Him. When we allow ourselves to say…
i am weak but I AM strong.
…we find live and walk in grace and nothing will be able to shake us. Grace allows us to fail forward through everything that comes our way. Can you say you are weak? You lack? You are imperfect? It’s the central to embracing He who is strong, complete, and perfect…who wants to be our help and work in and through us.