We are a proud people. We boast about our possessions, successes, children, and heritage. But about power in our weakness? Not so much. I’m hard-pressed to think of anyone who brags about their frailties, including me.
Isn’t it interesting that the apostle Paul confidently boasted of his weaknesses? It raises some critical questions. Could our misplaced boasting be the key to understanding why we don’t fully experience God’s power? Too often, we take pride in temporary possessions that hold no eternal value—things that moth and rust destroy.
In God’s economy, the way up is down. He opposes the proud and elevates the humble. His ways are loftier and often opposed to our own. We esteem strength, beauty, and achievements. Yet God is drawn to the humble, the outcast, the weak. Acknowledging our weaknesses to God doesn’t cause Him to look at us with disdain, much as society is prone to do. God doesn’t chastise us for being weak. On the contrary, He’s drawn to the lowly, the feeble, and downtrodden.
For too long, I’ve concealed my weaknesses from God and others as if God were unaware. My lack of faithfulness and fear have impeded my effectiveness when God has asked me to move forward. I wrongly believed He was disappointed with my inability to step out in faith. It wasn’t until I moved forward despite my fear that I experienced His grace, which was more than enough.
Let’s take inspiration from Paul’s life and follow his example (2 Corinthians 2:9). Confessing our weaknesses is not a process of shame but of deep spiritual growth. When we’re honest with God, it draws His heart toward us and opens the door for lasting transformation. A transformation that will inspire others to marvel at God’s immeasurable power at work in previously weak areas in our lives.
Turn to God with an open heart and acknowledge your needs. Only then can you experience God’s power and grace.
Nydia DiCarali resides in New York with her husband of twenty-two years and is the mother of two teenagers. A Christian for more than twenty-four years, Nydia teaches women’s Bible studies and has coordinated retreats and conferences to further encourage others to continue to walk by faith. She believes that when we allow ourselves to be governed by God’s Word we can live as more than conquerors.