By: Nina Bueno
Have you ever gotten so sick that you couldn’t get out of bed and do things for yourself? Have you ever been in a situation where you’re too emotionally weak to take control? Have you ever felt so broken that you sensed you would never be whole again? Have you ever felt utterly weak and weighed down by all your responsibilities?
I know I’ve felt and still feel these ways from time to time. Sometimes life is too overwhelming, and I just can’t do it. But most of the time I don’t want to acknowledge the weakness and brokenness that I feel.
Weakness is not a desirable trait. It is not looked upon as a virtue or a great quality. It is often seen as a lack of character, strength and maturity.
Brokenness is also not a state that people want to be in. Most people see brokenness as a sign of continued weakness. It’s generally looked down upon, even though we all struggle with it in our lives.
As humans, we are uncomfortable with not having a plan to get ourselves out of certain situations. Perhaps it’s better sometimes to simply ignore our struggles and try to get on with life.
In his letters, the apostle Paul often talks about weakness and brokenness, but he doesn’t treat them as things to ignore. Instead, he notes that they are one of God’s ways to show His power. Paul is confronted with his own shortcomings many times in his life, but every time, we see him realize that God’s strength is what allows him to overcome his weaknesses.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul speaks about some specific weaknesses and times of discouragement. At first, he asks the Lord to simply remove them, because like all of us, Paul just wants to get through life without the plague of weakness and brokenness. But God has a different answer. In verse 9 (NIV) He states, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” The moments and times that we are the most weak and the most broken are literally the times that God comes through the most and works powerfully on our behalf!
The moments when you’re too emotionally weak to take control are the moments God can take control for you (and trust me, He’s a better driver than all of us!). Your broken situations are the very times when God is most likely to step in to heal and perform miracles. When you’re weighed down with responsibilities and assignments, God can fill you with His wisdom and greater endurance than any you’d have on your own.
Paul continues, in verses 9 and 10 (NIV, emphasis added), “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.”
Do you see what Paul is saying here? Contrary to the world, Paul says that he boasts and delights in weakness! Paul sees this as an ultimate trait that Christians should want to have!
When we are weak and broken but acknowledge it and surrender to Christ, then we are truly strong. That’s because Christ fills us with His strength, and His power rests on us.
My friends, if you’re just as weak or broken as I am, take this to heart. You are just where you need to be; you are in the perfect place to receive God’s overwhelming strength and miraculous power. Don’t try to avoid the struggle, the weakness or the brokenness. Surrender it to God and let Him do the heavy lifting.
