Strength and Weakness | 2 Corinthians 12:9–10

“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. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10 NLT)

 

When I was a kid, I collected snakes. I thought they were great, and I had them in all sizes. Years later, I met a man who shared my interest. Only, he collected venomous snakes. He had learned to handle them while working in a zoo. I really admired him. He had been bitten by a tiger snake, which is the most venomous snake on earth. It’s even more deadly than a cobra. This man survived the snakebite because he had been taking serum and had developed an immunity to the tiger snake’s venom. As a result, this man came to believe that he was virtually indestructible, that no snake could ever take him down. He let cobras that had not been defanged slither around loose in his house.

One day, while he was at home, he was bitten by a cobra but didn’t realize it until later when his leg began to swell. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died. This man believed that because he had survived the tiger snake’s bite, he didn’t need to worry about cobras. That became his downfall.

Likewise, in our spiritual lives, it’s often the little things that bring us down. Some Christians will endure a serious challenge or resist a major temptation and then start to think, “I can handle anything that comes my way. I’m strong. I won’t fall.” But that’s when we need to be careful.

Are you feeling secure in yourself? Do you think your spiritual life is at its peak strength? Do you believe your doctrine is sound and your morals are pure? If so, you need to be on guard. You need to make sure that you’re dependent on the Lord.

The apostle Paul struggled with a chronic or permanent physical, emotional, or spiritual condition that affected him greatly. He called it “a thorn in my flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7 NLT). Three times he asked God to remove the thorn, to heal him from it. His reasoning was that he would be a stronger and more effective worker for Christ without the affliction.

God disagreed. Three times He told Paul no. “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness’” (verse 9 NLT).

When we start to believe that our strength is sufficient, we set ourselves up for a fall. Our strongest virtues become our greatest vulnerabilities. And that’s when the devil gets ready to pounce.

But when we humbly acknowledge our weakness, we open ourselves to God’s strength. And we get a front-row seat to His amazing work.

 

Reflection question: What would acknowledging your weakness look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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