Embracing Vulnerability: Finding Strength in Our Struggles
Summary
God is our everything—our hope, our joy, our strength, and our peace. In every season, whether we are celebrating victory or wrestling with struggle, God remains faithful and present. Today, the focus is on a confession that is often the hardest to make: not the admission of past mistakes, but the honest acknowledgment of present struggles. It’s easy to testify when the battle is over, but what about when we’re still in the thick of it? The invitation is to move beyond the mask, to step out of isolation, and to bring our real, ongoing struggles before God and trusted community.
Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12, Paul’s testimony of the thorn in his flesh reminds us that God’s grace is not reserved for the moments when we appear strong, but is most powerfully revealed in our weakness. Paul pleaded for his thorn to be removed, but God’s answer was not deliverance from the struggle, but the assurance that His grace is sufficient. This teaches us that vulnerability is not defeat; it is the doorway to God’s power. When we admit our need, we make room for God’s strength to be made perfect in us.
Confession is not just vertical—between us and God—but also horizontal, connecting us to one another. James 5:16 calls us to confess to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed. In community, honesty breaks the chains of isolation and shame, and God’s power flows in ways we cannot experience alone. The church should be the safest place to say, “I’m not okay,” and to find support, prayer, and encouragement.
Grace grows best in honest ground. We do not have to be perfect to be powerful; God’s grace meets us in our mess, not just in our victories. Our scars are not signs of defeat, but testimonies of God’s sustaining power. Even if the thorn remains, so does God’s grace. The struggle may persist, but God’s presence, strength, and peace are unwavering. We are invited to stop pretending, to lay down our burdens, and to trust that God will carry us through every valley. In our confession, we find freedom, connection, and the sustaining grace of God.
Key Takeaways
- Vulnerability is not defeat, but the doorway to God’s power. Admitting weakness is not a sign of failure, but an act of trust that allows God’s strength to be made perfect in us. God does not pour His power into the image we project, but into the truth we present. When we stop pretending and bring our real struggles to God, we discover that His grace is more than enough. [19:41]
- Confession creates connection, not just with God but with others. When we are honest about our struggles, we break the enemy’s power of isolation and invite healing through community. The church is called to be a safe place where we can say, “I’m not okay,” and find support, prayer, and encouragement from one another. [25:49]
- Grace grows in honest ground. God’s grace is not reserved for the flawless, but for the humble and honest. Our scars and ongoing struggles are not disqualifications, but opportunities for God’s glory to be revealed. The very places we want to hide are often the places where God wants to display His power. [28:14]
- The struggle may remain, but so does God’s grace. Like Paul, we may pray for our thorn to be removed and find that it stays, but God’s grace stays too. His grace does not expire or run out when the struggle drags on; it meets us right in the valley and carries us through. [32:47]
- Freedom comes when we stop pretending and bring our real selves to God. The invitation is to lay down the mask, confess our struggles, and trust God to meet us in our need. When we do, we make room for His strength, His peace, and His sustaining presence to carry us every step of the way. [34:39]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:19] - God Is My Everything
[06:31] - Foundational Scripture: 1 John 1:9
[09:44] - Confession: Past vs. Present Struggles
[11:42] - Trusting God in the Middle of the Struggle
[13:20] - Confession as the Beginning of Comeback
[15:18] - Paul’s Thorn: Embracing Weakness
[17:24] - Persistent Struggles and God’s Response
[19:41] - Vulnerability: The Doorway to God’s Power
[21:36] - The Voices of Pride, Fear, and Shame
[22:54] - Facing What We Hide
[25:49] - Confession Creates Connection
[28:14] - Grace Grows in Honest Ground
[32:47] - God’s Grace Is Sufficient
[34:39] - The Invitation to Be Real with God
[35:49] - Casting Our Cares and Crying Out
[38:59] - Praying for Deliverance and Identity
[41:40] - God Knows and Lifts Every Burden
[44:51] - Praying for Our Children
[46:18] - Covering Our Children in Prayer
[50:00] - Blessing for the School Year
[50:58] - Closing and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
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### Bible Reading
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (ESV)
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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.
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### Observation Questions
1. According to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, what was Paul’s response when God did not remove the “thorn” from his life?
2. In the sermon, what does the pastor say is the difference between confessing past mistakes and confessing present struggles? [[09:44]]
3. What does the phrase “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” mean in the context of Paul’s struggle?
4. How does the sermon describe the role of vulnerability in the life of a believer? [[19:41]]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why might God choose not to remove certain struggles or “thorns” from our lives, according to Paul’s experience and the sermon? [[17:24]]
2. The sermon says, “God doesn’t pour strength into the image you project. He pours it into the truth you present.” What does this mean for how we approach God and others? [[13:20]]
3. How does confessing our present struggles, rather than just our past, change our relationship with God and with others? [[25:49]]
4. The pastor says, “Grace grows best in honest ground.” What does it look like for a church or small group to be “honest ground”? [[28:14]]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon challenges us to move beyond the mask and admit when we’re struggling. Is there an area of your life right now where you feel pressure to pretend you’re okay? What would it look like to be honest about that struggle—with God or with someone you trust? [[34:39]]
2. Paul’s story shows that God’s grace is often most visible in our weakness. Can you think of a time when you experienced God’s strength in the middle of a struggle, rather than after it was over? How did that impact your faith? [[19:41]]
3. The pastor says, “Church should be the safest place to say, ‘I’m not okay.’” Do you feel like this group or our church is a safe place for honesty? Why or why not? What could we do to make it safer? [[25:49]]
4. The sermon mentions that pride, fear, and shame can keep us isolated. Which of these do you most relate to, and how has it affected your willingness to be vulnerable? [[21:36]]
5. James 5:16 says to confess to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed. Is there someone in your life you could reach out to for prayer or accountability this week? What’s stopping you? [[25:49]]
6. The pastor said, “You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.” How does this truth challenge the way you see yourself and your role in God’s work? [[28:14]]
7. If you are currently carrying a “thorn” or ongoing struggle, what is one practical step you can take this week to invite God’s grace and the support of others into that area? [[32:47]]
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Close in prayer, inviting God’s grace into your present struggles and asking for the courage to be honest with Him and with each other.
Devotional
Day 1: Confession Positions Us for Grace
Confession is not about informing God of our failures—He already knows—but about coming into agreement with His truth and stepping out of shame into the light of His mercy. When we honestly admit our struggles, even while we are still in them, we are not disqualified; instead, our honesty becomes the very place where God’s grace meets us. Grace cannot fill the places we pretend don’t exist, and God does not pour strength into the image we project, but into the truth we present. The moment we stop trying to prove we are strong enough is the moment we discover He has been strong enough all along. [13:20]
1 John 1:9 (NKJV)
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been hiding your struggle from God or others? Can you take a step today to honestly confess it to God, trusting that His grace will meet you there?
Day 2: God’s Power Is Perfected in Our Weakness
Vulnerability is not defeat; it is the doorway to God’s power. Paul’s testimony of the thorn in his flesh reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in our weakness. Rather than pretending to have it all together, we are invited to embrace our limitations and depend on God, knowing that when we are weak, then we are strong. In God’s kingdom, weakness is not a liability but the very place where His power can enter and do what human willpower never could. [19:41]
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NLT)
"Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 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."
Reflection: Where do you feel weakest or most inadequate right now? How can you invite God’s strength into that very place today by admitting your need for Him?
Day 3: Confession Creates Connection and Community
Confession is not just vertical between you and God; it is also horizontal, connecting you to others and breaking the power of isolation. When you open up to trusted believers, you unlock community and healing flows—not just forgiveness from God, but strength and support from those around you. Church should be the safest place to say, “I’m not okay,” and your honesty might give someone else the courage to start healing. Confession to God cleanses your heart, but confession to trusted believers strengthens your walk. [26:49]
James 5:16 (ESV)
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: Who is one trusted person in your life you can be honest with about your struggles? Can you reach out to them this week and invite them to pray with you?
Day 4: Grace Grows in Honest Ground
Grace grows best in the places we would rather hide. You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful—God’s grace makes you what you could never make yourself. The soil of humility produces the fruit of supernatural strength, and your scars are not proof of defeat but of God’s sustaining power. When you stop editing your story to hide your struggles, you make room for God’s glory to be displayed in your life. Even if the thorn remains, God’s grace remains too, carrying you through every valley. [28:14]
1 Peter 5:5b-7 (ESV)
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have tried to appear flawless? How can you practice humility and let God’s grace work in that area today?
Day 5: God’s Presence Remains in the Struggle
Even when the struggle continues and the thorn does not leave, God’s grace, strength, and presence remain. The struggle may be real, but so is God’s strength. His grace does not have an expiration date, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. When you bring your struggle honestly to God, you make room for Him to carry you, strengthen you, and remind you that you are never alone. You can walk out each day saying, “I may be struggling, but I’m still standing,” because God is with you every step of the way. [32:47]
Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)
"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."
Reflection: In what ongoing struggle do you need to be reminded that God is still with you? How can you acknowledge His presence and lean on His grace as you face it today?
Quotes
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