Second Corinthians 12:9
“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.
Strength in Weakness
Paul boasted or bragged, but it was in his weakness and only so that he could boast about the power of Christ resting upon him (2 Cor. 12:9). Paul saw it as the opposite of the way the world thinks. When he was weak, that’s when he was strong (2 Cor. 12:10) because he knew the Father used the weak over the strong, those who are small in their own eyes rather than big. When Saul was converted on the Damascus Road, he was changed. Later, God changed his name from Saul, which means “destroyer,” to Paul, which means “little” or “small,” which could be taken as humble. God resists the strong and proud but will give grace to the weak and humble (James 4:6).
The Hall of Faith
If you take a look at what some call the “hall of faith” in Hebrews chapter 11, you can see that it’s not full of a lot of powerful men and women, not mighty or strong, or a list full of kings and queens. Rather, it’s a list of those whom the world regarded as insignificant or weak–names like Moses, Gideon, Barak, David, and others not even named, who wandered around in the desert in sheep and goat skins, often running for their lives; were restricted to living in caves or dens (Heb. 11:37-38); and suffered horrendous deaths for their beliefs (Heb. 11:36-37). We might call it, from God’s perspective, the “hall of faith” or the “hall of fame” while the unbelieving world calls it the “hall of shame,” but it is God’s perspective that counts. Did you know that God the Father likes to use the weak?
God Prefers the Weak and the Humble
If you have read much of the Bible, you already know how God prefers using the least in the eyes of the world. He likes to do this so that He receives the glory. Gideon had to par his army down to 300 so the victory would clearly be attributed to God and not to man. God chooses the weak in the world so that the strong will be put to shame and chooses who the world believes are the foolish to confound the wise (1 Cor. 1:27). The Father loves to choose those who are poor in their own eyes, not necessary financially poor because they are often rich in faith (James 2:5). Yes, what the world despises and considers lowly He chooses so that those who think they are something are really shown to be nothing (1 Cor. 1:28) and so that nobody can boast about it (1 Cor. 1:29), once again revealing that the Father loves to use the weak of the world. The weak can be filled by Him, but the world is often so full of itself that God cannot fill it.
A Closing Prayer
Father, I now see why you chose me–weak, frail, feeble, and with feet of clay. I am so thankful that You choose the weak over the mighty and the lowly over the exalted because I wouldn’t have a chance otherwise. In Jesus’ name I thank You and pray.
Amen
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