My Strength is Made Perfect in Weakness
Lately I’ve been meditating on the scripture:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” —2 Corinthians 12:9
Many of us are going through a struggle in some capacity. At times of weakness we may be questioning, “where are you God?” Hoping and believing God will come through to remove our struggle and make life easier…
The apostle Paul was given amazing revelations and he was walking in a powerful relationship with the Lord unveiling the mysteries of Christ. However, despite the same apostle Paul that ministered truth and walked in the power of the Holy Spirit operating in miracles, signs and wonders was also given what he called a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul shows us that God allowed a messenger of satan sent to be a thorn in his side in order to keep him from becoming proud. There have been many opinions about what this thorn actually was—a physical illness, spiritual oppression, or another ongoing hardship that may have seemed to hinder Paul. While we may not know exactly what it was, we do know that God used it as Paul heard the voice of the Lord he was strengthened through it.
Three times Paul pleaded with the Lord to remove it and three times Paul heard His voice. Paul needed a little extra repetition to finally get it…
Instead removing the “thorn”, God responded with another level of revelation:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” —2 Corinthians 12:9
After Paul heard the voice of the Lord, his perspective completely flipped and deepened his faith to rely on God’s strength being perfected. Rather than placing demands on God to meet his own expectations, Paul discovered that God’s strength comes in when we recognize our need for Him and trusting the sufficiency of His grace!
It is vitally important for every follower of Christ that we do not boast in our own strength, wisdom, or accomplishments but it is God himself that strengthens us. Thank God for the thorn as you lean into God’s grace knowing that it is sufficient, His strength is being perfected in you! The Christian life was never designed to be lived through self-sufficiency. Instead, God invites us to depend on Him completely. His strength truly comes through in our weakness.
Weakness becomes a blessing because it drives us to faith.
When we come to the end of ourselves, God’s strength begins.
Paul eventually wrote:
“Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me… For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
—2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Paul rejoiced not because he celebrated to suffer for suffering’s sake but rejoiced that the power of God would rest on him when he is weak, then he is strong! Our weakness is key for the power of God to be revealed on display!
God is often more concerned with who we are becoming than with making our lives easier. Even though Paul prayed three times for this thorn to be removed, God left it purposely in order for God’s strength to be relied upon. God wanted His strength to be perfected in Paul and He wants that for you too!
Sometimes we pray for God to remove our struggles, and He certainly can. Yet there are seasons when He chooses to walk us through them because He is producing humility, perseverance, faith, and Christlike character within us.
Paul addresses the Corinthians about pride in one of his earlier letters as well:
“Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”
—1 Corinthians 8:1
Knowledge alone can inflate our pride, but love builds people up. Pride seems to be a hindrance and does not show the strength of God or the love of God. True maturity is to love, not to tear each other down but to build each other up not to promote ourselves. The more we mature in Christ, the more we humble ourselves and realize how dependent we truly are on Him. We are not God, and He will not share His glory with anyone. Thank God for that—it is far too great a burden for us to carry. Our confidence rests in the One who sits on the throne.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me.”
—Jeremiah 9:23-24
Our greatest accomplishment is not our intelligence, strength, wealth, or influence.
It is knowing God.
Jesus taught this same principle when He said:
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
—Matthew 16:24
Following Jesus requires surrender.
Jesus calls us to lay down our own agenda so that His life can be formed within us. Each of us has a unique journey walking with the Lord and each of us will have our own thorn to confront.
Even Jesus modeled this in the Garden of Gethsemane. Facing the cross, He prayed:
“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
—Luke 22:42
Notice the similarity between Jesus and Paul.
Paul asked for the thorn to be removed.
Jesus asked for the cup to pass.
Yet both ultimately submitted to the Father’s will.
God’s strength is often revealed not by removing the trial but by sustaining us through it.
Peter reminds us:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”
—1 Peter 5:5-6
Perhaps this is one of the greatest paradoxes of the Christian life:
Weakness is not our enemy.
Pride is.
Weakness teaches dependence.
Dependence produces intimacy with God.
Intimacy transforms us into the image of Christ.
The One who possessed all power chose humility.
The King became a servant.
The Almighty became weak for our sake so that we could receive His strength.
The world teaches self-reliance, self-promotion, and self-sufficiency.
The gospel teaches surrender.
Jesus reminds us:
“I am the vine; you are the branches… apart from Me you can do nothing.”
—John 15:5
As we continue following Christ, we’ll discover that greater spiritual maturity requires greater surrender. The more we deny ourselves, the more room we make for Christ to work through us.
God is not simply trying to make us successful.
He is making us holy.
He is forming His character within us.
So if you’re walking through a difficult season today, don’t lose heart.
Your weakness is not evidence that God has abandoned you.
It may be the very place where His strength will be most clearly revealed.
Trust Him.
Lean on Him.
Allow Him to shape your character.
His grace is sufficient.
And when you are weak, you will discover that He is strong.
With you in Christ,
Truly Living Team
