When you’ve been healthy all of your life, it is strange to be sick. When you’re used to feeling strong, it is frustrating to be weak. When you’ve always felt secure, it is uncomfortable to be vulnerable. When you’ve been proud most of your life, it is different to be humble.
Sometimes, it is in weakness that we catch a glimpse of the wisdom of God. His ways are not our ways, but we know He is perfect. Last year, as my body weakened, my hair fell out, and my mind became dull, God was saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Why does God work in such ways?
It is almost as if God takes everything that is important in the eyes of the world and turns it upside down. He chose to work in this manner through His own Son, so why should He work differently with us? From a lowly birth to a cruel cross, God chose the weak things of the world to bring about His glory. Jesus revealed this truth in so much of His teaching. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” “Blessed are those that mourn.” “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.” “Come to Me…for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
When I am weak, I run to my God. When I am strong, I may not think there are needs, so my prayers are scarce and passionless. But when I am weak, I cry out to God with great fervency. Where else can I go? Only He can comfort. Only He can rescue. Only in God can I find true security. Only in God can I have confidence. Only in God can I find strength. “In Him we live and move and have our being.”
How we need Him – not just in difficult times, but always! Weakness brings us this realization. This is why we can thank God for our trials, for in these times we draw closest to Him.
Weakness also leads us to depend more on others. How do I thank my wife for helping me last year? I could not have made it without her. How do I thank so many of you for serving and praying for me and my family. In my weakness, God’s love was strong through His children and I am thankful.
Let us praise God for His wisdom and thank Him continually. Let us humbly admit we don’t have all the answers. Let us learn to depend on Him more and more.
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” I Corinthians 1:27-28