Strength in Weakness: Embracing God's Grace

Summary

In the journey of life, we often find ourselves grappling with our weaknesses, striving to mask them, and yearning for strength and independence. However, it is in these very moments of vulnerability that we can encounter the profound strength and grace of God. Over the past 18 months, I have been living with a chronic illness that has brought me face to face with my own limitations. This experience has taught me that true strength is not found in self-reliance but in surrendering to God and allowing His power to work through our weaknesses.

Reflecting on 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, we see how Paul, despite his incredible accomplishments, was given a thorn in his flesh. Initially, he pleaded for its removal, viewing it as a hindrance. Yet, God's response was not to take it away but to assure Paul that His grace was sufficient and His power was made perfect in weakness. This revelation transformed Paul's perspective, leading him to boast in his weaknesses, for it was there that Christ's power rested upon him.

In my own journey, I initially denied my illness, attempting to maintain a facade of normalcy. But as my condition persisted, I realized that my only option was to depend on God. This dependency opened the door to a deeper intimacy with Him, revealing a side of His character I had never known. I learned that surrendering to our weaknesses can lead to a profound encounter with God's strength and grace.

Through this process, I discovered that God does not require us to be strong on our own. Instead, He invites us to lean on Him, to let go of our self-sufficiency, and to trust in His sustaining power. In my weakest moments, I found a God who weeps with me, comforts me, and provides strength to face each day. This journey has taught me to delight in my weaknesses, for it is in these places that I have encountered the most beautiful aspects of God's love and grace.

Key Takeaways:

- Embracing our weaknesses can lead to a deeper encounter with God's strength. When we acknowledge our limitations and surrender them to God, we open ourselves to His grace and power, which are made perfect in our weakness. This surrender allows us to experience a new side of God's character, one that is marked by intimacy and dependency. [12:46]

- God's grace is sufficient for every need, no matter how debilitating our weaknesses may be. Like Paul, we may initially seek to have our weaknesses removed, but God's response is often to assure us that His grace is enough. This requires us to surrender our struggles to Him and trust that His strength will sustain us. [24:15]

- Our weaknesses can become a source of strength when we allow God to work through them. By letting go of our self-reliance and inviting God into our struggles, we create space for His power to be made perfect in us. This transformation can lead to a profound sense of peace and joy, even in the midst of hardship. [36:22]

- Surrendering to our weaknesses can lead to greater intimacy with God. When we admit our need for help and allow God to meet us in our pain, we encounter a God who is present with us, who weeps with us, and who provides comfort and strength. This intimacy can transform our perspective and lead us to delight in our weaknesses. [48:10]

- Our weaknesses can be a catalyst for growth and transformation. By embracing our limitations and allowing God to work through them, we can experience a deeper sense of purpose and connection with others. This journey can lead to unexpected opportunities and a greater appreciation for the small joys in life. [59:45]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Encountering God in Weakness
[03:30] - Struggling with Chronic Illness
[07:15] - The Illusion of Strength
[12:46] - Paul's Thorn in the Flesh
[18:20] - Denial and Acceptance
[24:15] - God's Sufficient Grace
[30:00] - Surrendering to God
[36:22] - Finding Strength in Weakness
[42:10] - Intimacy with God
[48:10] - Embracing Vulnerability
[54:00] - Transformation Through Weakness
[59:45] - Joy in Small Things
[01:05:30] - A Challenge to Surrender
[01:10:00] - Closing Reflections

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

#### Observation Questions
1. What was Paul's initial reaction to the thorn in his flesh, and how did he respond to God's answer? [12:46]
2. How did the speaker describe their initial response to their chronic illness, and what changed over time? [03:30]
3. What does the speaker identify as the societal view of weakness, and how did this affect their personal journey? [36:22]
4. How did the speaker's understanding of God's grace evolve throughout their experience with illness? [48:10]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Paul's experience with the thorn in his flesh illustrate the concept of God's power being made perfect in weakness? [12:46]
2. In what ways did the speaker's chronic illness lead to a deeper dependency on God, and how did this change their perspective on strength? [24:15]
3. How might the societal pressure to appear strong and independent hinder one's relationship with God, according to the speaker's experience? [36:22]
4. What role does surrender play in experiencing God's grace and strength, as demonstrated in both Paul's and the speaker's stories? [48:10]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt weak or vulnerable. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now in light of Paul's story? [12:46]
2. The speaker mentioned initially denying their illness. Are there areas in your life where you might be in denial about your weaknesses? How can you begin to acknowledge them? [03:30]
3. How can you create space in your life to invite God into your struggles and allow His power to work through your weaknesses? [36:22]
4. Consider the societal pressure to be strong and independent. How can you challenge this mindset in your own life and embrace a posture of dependency on God? [36:22]
5. The speaker found comfort in God's presence during their weakest moments. How can you cultivate a deeper intimacy with God in your own times of struggle? [48:10]
6. What practical steps can you take to surrender your struggles to God and trust in His sustaining power, as Paul did? [24:15]
7. Identify a specific weakness or challenge you are currently facing. How can you allow this to be a catalyst for growth and transformation in your relationship with God? [59:45]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Vulnerability to Encounter God's Strength
In the journey of life, embracing our weaknesses can lead to a deeper encounter with God's strength. When we acknowledge our limitations and surrender them to God, we open ourselves to His grace and power, which are made perfect in our weakness. This surrender allows us to experience a new side of God's character, one that is marked by intimacy and dependency. By letting go of the facade of self-reliance, we create space for God's transformative power to work within us, leading to a profound sense of peace and joy, even amidst hardship. [12:46]

"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." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel weak or vulnerable? How can you invite God into this space today to experience His strength and grace?

Day 2: Trusting in God's Sufficient Grace
God's grace is sufficient for every need, no matter how debilitating our weaknesses may be. Like Paul, we may initially seek to have our weaknesses removed, but God's response is often to assure us that His grace is enough. This requires us to surrender our struggles to Him and trust that His strength will sustain us. In doing so, we learn to rely on His sustaining power rather than our own, finding comfort in the knowledge that His grace is always available to us. [24:15]

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a current struggle or challenge you are facing. How can you actively trust in God's grace to be sufficient for you in this situation today?

Day 3: Finding Strength in Weakness
Our weaknesses can become a source of strength when we allow God to work through them. By letting go of our self-reliance and inviting God into our struggles, we create space for His power to be made perfect in us. This transformation can lead to a profound sense of peace and joy, even in the midst of hardship. As we learn to delight in our weaknesses, we discover the beauty of God's love and grace, which are most evident when we are at our lowest. [36:22]

"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." (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt weak but experienced God's strength. How can you apply this experience to a current area of weakness in your life?

Day 4: Intimacy with God Through Surrender
Surrendering to our weaknesses can lead to greater intimacy with God. When we admit our need for help and allow God to meet us in our pain, we encounter a God who is present with us, who weeps with us, and who provides comfort and strength. This intimacy can transform our perspective and lead us to delight in our weaknesses, as they become opportunities to experience God's love and grace in profound ways. [48:10]

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you invite God into your moments of vulnerability today to deepen your relationship with Him?

Day 5: Growth and Transformation Through Weakness
Our weaknesses can be a catalyst for growth and transformation. By embracing our limitations and allowing God to work through them, we can experience a deeper sense of purpose and connection with others. This journey can lead to unexpected opportunities and a greater appreciation for the small joys in life. As we grow through our weaknesses, we find that they are not hindrances but stepping stones to a richer, more fulfilling life in Christ. [59:45]

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: How can you view a current weakness or limitation as an opportunity for growth and transformation in your life today?

Quotes

"yeah so thank you for having me um yeah i've been asked to share about how i've encountered god in my weakness these past few years and i'd love to share with you all how i've encountered god through my weakness and how my weakest place i have encountered the strength of god and fallen into greater dependency on him these past 18 months for those you who don't know i've been very ill i've had a migraine every day since the first of april of 2023 i experienced severe fatigue brain fog dizziness and as a result of become face to face with my weakness i hate being weak anyone who knows me will know that it is like the worst thing for me um i hate being helpless for all of my life i've tried to run in the complete opposite direction of my weakness every single turn i've tried to mask my weakness pretend that everything's all good and try and be the strong one i shut off all emotions i deemed as weak from a young age and hid any sign as weakness to people i wouldn't let anybody in when i was struggling i wouldn't ask for help i decided that the goal that the best thing to happen in my life was if i was strong and independent and could do" [00:02:03] (75 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"whatever i wanted to do i would be the strong one the one that never needed help the one that had it all together the one who always does things and helps people um and yeah people just see us the one that can is strong and got everything together and i always thought that that's what god required of me that in order for god to use me for me to encounter him for me to do things for him i had to be that one that i had to be the strong one for me if i asked for help or was dependent i was weak and for me weakness was bad it was not something that i would rejoice in or boast in but that didn't work very well for me it wasn't until i was confronted face to face with this weakness where my only option was to depend on him that i actually started to encounter god in it and so we see in second corinthians 12 7 to 10 that paul gets given this thorn in a flesh and in verses 7 to 8 it says therefore in order to keep me from being conceited i was given a thorn in my flesh a messenger of satan to torment me three times i pleaded with the lord to take it away from me for me my very first response when i became ill was to deny that i was ill i tried to keep going live life normally keep seeing everyone that i would normally see try and go to school um and that actually all would be well if i just kind of put my head down kept going i kind of kept reiterating the fact that god is good and that everything's going to be fine um and if i just kept pushing through i'm sure i'll get through somehow and for some of you you also may hide your weakness not tell anyone try and forget it or see it as a problem that needs fixing and in john mark homer's book practicing the way he says that with our pain we often do at least one of these three things we deny detach drug our pain and we can often do the same with our weakness we see in this passage that paul acknowledges he has this thorn and yet he sees it as a hindrance to the work he's doing for god and we see that paul has done all these incredible things and he's doing so much for god and yet when he has this thorn his first thing is to get it taken away from him so for it to be fixed that actually it's not something that god could use and that could bring him closer to god or that could lead to this deep encounter but instead is this problem that has to be fixed and i think we often do the same um nobody wants to be weak nobody wants to live with our weakness um instead we want it to be taken away from us and we want our encounter with god to be in the form of a breakthrough for god to take it away for it to disappear for it to be dealt with and sometimes god does do this and we see in paul's life that you know the walls come tumbling down and he has all these incredible encounters of significant breakthrough but sometimes god doesn't take the weakness away as quickly as we want it or maybe he doesn't take it away and so i kind of went on this journey i started to acknowledge that i actually was ill as it came quite apparent quite quickly that i couldn't really revise um i got it april just before my gses um and once i had acknowledged actually i was ill then i was like well the only option to encounter god is for gone for me to be completely healed for me to be able to do everything all well no migraines no fatigue um and yes he could have healed me and one day i will be healed whether it's this side of heaven or the next um and god also could have taken paul's thorn away but that's not the only way that god wants to reveal himself and it's not the only way that god wants to reveal himself to you today because it can actually be in our very weakest moment that we can encounter jesus's strength and we see in 2 corinthians 12 9 um that 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 about my weakness so that christ's power may rest on me and so god's answer to paul may have not been might not have been what he wanted to hear i mean to be honest he wants to be told that actually i'm going to take it away and that's going to be the place that i'm going to show strength in" [00:03:21] (0 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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