When I am weak, then I am strong

(J.R. Miller, "The Blessing of Weakness" 1894)  LISTEN to audio!  Download audio

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"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will glory all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

There is a blessing in weakness, because it nourishes dependence on God. When we are strong, or deem ourselves strong-we are really weak, since then we trust in ourselves and do not seek Divine help.

But when we are consciously weak, knowing ourselves unequal to our duties and struggles-we are strong, because then we turn to Christ, and get His strength.

Too many people think that their weakness a barrier to their usefulness; or make it an excuse for doing little with their life. Instead of this, however, if we give it to Christ-He will transform our weakness into strength. He says that His power is made perfect in weakness; that is, what is lacking in human strength, He fills and makes up with divine strength. Paul had learned this, when he said that he now gloried in his weaknesses, because on account of them-the strength of Christ rested upon him; so that when he was weak, then he was strong-strong with Divine strength.

We need only to make sure of one thing-that we do indeed bring our weakness to Christ, and lean on Him in simple faith. This is the vital link in getting the blessing.

Weakness itself is a burden; it is like chains upon our limbs. If we try to carry it alone, we shall only fail. But if we lay it on the strong Son of God, and let Him carry us and our burden, going on quietly and firmly in the way of duty-He will make our very weakness a secret source of strength.

He will not take the weakness from us-that is not His promise; but He will so fill us with His own power, that we shall be strong, more than conquerors, able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

This is the blessed secret of having our burdening weakness, transformed into vital strength. The secret can be found only in Christ. And in Him-it can be found by every humble, trusting disciple.

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Something to ponder:
In a sermon preached in 1741 Jonathan Edwards told his hearers: "I have no desire to terrify you needlessly or to represent your case as worse than it is, but I truly think that there are a number of people in this congregation who are in imminent danger of being damned to all eternity!"