MY RADICAL JOURNEY: 40 Days with The Purpose Driven Life

Giants are weak

Day 35: God's Power in Your Weakness

God loves to use weak people.

This is one of the most beautiful sentences I have ever read. It also so succinctly demonstrates God's penchant for the disadvantaged, the marginalized, and the "dehados". It seems to me God is a Barangay Ginebra fan.

In reality, all of us (no exceptions) have weaknesses. I myself know I have lots of weaknesses and some of them are fatal to my spiritual life. But, as Warren says, the more important issue is what we do with these mortal flaws.

Yet God, more than ourselves, knows our weaknesses can be the stage to show His power. A fearsome and almost invincible warrior decimates his adversaries in the battlefield. So what? It's not a surprise. It is given. No sweat. But how about a David killing a Goliath with a slingshot? It is the stuff of songs and heroic ballads that is told generations after generations. God is too wise not to know that a weak victor is worth more than a thousand strong ones.

In the past, I used to hide my weaknesses, especially the most troublesome, persistent, and carnal ones. Then I realized that as positive psychology has argued for and now, as I understand, the Bible vouches for disclosure and honesty so as not to kowtow even more to these weaknesses by pushing them into the subconscious where they gain more power.

I now know, O Lord, that your grace is sufficient for me, that your power is made perfect in my weakness.

I am affirmed that I was correct in sharing my weaknesses to others who care to listen and to help. I am encouraged further to openly admit other weaknesses that may be too embarrassing at first thought. I know that healing can only start with acceptance.

Finally, I was amused with the story of Jacob. Jacob was so strong that he wrestled with God. And God dislocated his hip. It amuses me to realize that God would actually create a weakness in us. All because He sees that we could better serve Him with that weakness than without it. Jacob was humbled and had to lean on God.

Dear Almighty, I live in the hope that someday you will turn my weaknesses, especially the last one standing I may have so privately kept in the past from my loved ones and my brothers and sisters in faith. I muster the inspiration from the words of Hudson Taylor, one of your servants, who said: "All God's giants were weak people." I pray that I will be one of your giants despite all my infirmities now. All these so that your glory and your power will be made manifest in my weakness.