Secured by Eternal Faith: A Road to Restoration

DAY 8: Finding Strength in Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV

"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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Breaking down the scripture:

"My grace is sufficient for you"

When I hear this, it reminds me that God's grace is more than just His favor—it's the strength He gives us even when we don't deserve it. For Paul (and for us), God's grace isn't just a nice sentiment; it's what gets us through the hardest moments. Instead of removing our struggles, He promises that His grace is enough to help us endure them.

"My power is made perfect in weakness"

This feels like a paradox to me—God's power is most evident when we're at our weakest. It's in those moments when we realize we can't rely on ourselves that God steps in, and we see His strength in a whole new way. It's like the moments when we least feel capable are the ones where His power shines the brightest.

"Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses"

Paul's response to this is striking. He doesn't run from his weaknesses—he boasts in them. He knows that his struggles aren't just setbacks but opportunities for God's power to be shown. For me, this is such a different way of looking at weakness. It's not something to hide or be ashamed of but something to embrace, because it's in our weaknesses that God often does His greatest work.

"So that the power of Christ may rest upon me"

Paul isn't looking for his own strength he's looking for Christ's power to rest upon him. He wants to experience God's strength in his life, especially when he feels weak. I think it's a reminder that it's not about our own abilities, but about God's ability to work through us, even when we don't feel up to it.

Verse 10:

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities."

Paul's contentment is not a passive resignation to suffering, but an active acceptance of it for Christ's sake. He embraces these challenges because he knows they are part of his calling and service to Christ. The list of challenges weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, calamities are real trials Paul faced in his ministry. Rather than avoid or complain about them, he embraces them as part of his journey of faith.

"For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Paul is not saying he is physically strong when he is weak; he's saying that when he is weak (and unable to rely on his own abilities), God's strength becomes evident in his life. Strength in weakness: This means that when we rely on God and not on our own strength, we find that God's power is enough to carry us through any difficulty.

Reflection:

I think there's something in us that really resists weakness. Our world seems to value independence, strength, and "having it all together." Whether it's at work, in relationships, or even in our faith, there's this unspoken expectation that we should always be strong and self-sufficient. Admitting weakness feels almost like a failure.