Have you ever thought that your weakness is your strength?  Yes.  Your weakness allows for your strength.

Standard ‘Self-help’ philosphy says that we discover our strengths and build those up, while staying away from the areas where we are weak - even surrounding ourselves with those who have strengths where we have weaknesses.  As this way of thinking is true and very practical on many different levels, let us not use this truth as an excuse to run away from our weaknesses as we would from a plague.  Have you ever stopped to think that at one point in your past, you were weak in what you are now strong in? 

At one point, everything is a weakness that we must learn how to do. And when it comes to God’s dreams and plans for our lives, we are often called to work in an area that is most definitely a weakness rather than an outright strength.  Just look at most of those, in the Bible who were called to work for God:  Moses was weak in speaking; Jeremiah considered his young age to be a weakness; Gideon considered his low ranking within his family and relatives to be his weakness; Mary considered her not ‘knowing’ a man to be her weakness… yet here was God, calling these individuals and others to do great and unusual things for Him - and they all felt unqualified. 

Let me clarify here, that when I say weakness, I do not mean those areas which destroy you such as, sexual lust, greed, unmanaged anger, drinking etc… THese are weaknesses that we should avoid.  What I am talking about are teh areas of gifting and talents that you are not proficient in - and may not even know you have - but you find God continually nudging you in those directions. 

It’s like the parent eagle who nudges its offspring to the edge of the nest.  The offspring don’t want to go there.  They don’t want to fall.  They are afraid.  But the parent eagle pushes them out of the nest, causing the offspring to plummet to the ground.  In those moments, there is only one choice - you better get to flappin those wings!  And what happens?  If the young offspring is strong enough, it flies!  If not, the parent is there to catch them and try again later.  Either way, flight is their inheritance, whether they know it or not.  It may be a weakness now, but later - after much practice - it will be one of their greatest strengths!

Where is God calling you… that may be your area of weakness now… but God wants to develop you?  It is in these areas where we must rely on God the most - for strength and guidance and provision.  This is what God wants - for us to rely on Him.  Then we will have access to greater resources than we would alone… and greater accomplishments and impact will be possible!  And what happens when you rely on God in your area of weakness?  Others learn to do the same.

Thank God for our strengths - and thank God for our weaknesses as well.

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 NKJV

Let me know what you think.

-Allen Paul Weaver III -

Filed under: Self-Help • Spirituality

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