Power and Strength through Weakness

Creation: A Divine Cycle
The Birthing of a New Community

New Birth Brings Freedom

2 Corinthians 12:7-10. The Message

7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

For Reflection

We all have had to overcome some impediments to our personal effectiveness.   Most of the time it is easier to blame something, even God.

Quit whining!  Try to see those stumbling blocks as opportunities. Have unreasonable trust in God. Give yourself over to God.  miraculously, that which you thought would do you in is the very thing that gives you an advantage.  Let God's presence in you leak out all over so that all will wonder at
about and envy your spirit.

Pray

Celebrate the person you are.  Pray that you will let God take charge of your life.