What I Can’t Do
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB
Weakness – We live in a world of power. Anyone who demonstrates weakness is considered inadequate, unworthy and flawed. In our world, power is a sign of perfection and ever since Parmenides, perfection has been the goal of Western humanity. This is evident in the unfortunate translation of Matthew 5:48 where the Greek word teleios is rendered according to Greek thought as “perfect” rather than the Hebrew original, “holy.” Despite the truism that power corrupts, we somehow believe that power is the road to success. Of course, there are many forms of power. Wealth, politics, charisma, authority, accomplishment, honor—undoubtedly you can add a few of your own. The startling insight of God’s word is that power in any of these forms is virtually useless to God. He makes perfect (complete) through weakness (astheneia). We will have to look at this in greater detail, won’t we? But for now, another question pushes forward.
Have you written your résumé of weakness? Have you listed all those things that you are unable to accomplish, all those failures in your history, all those personal faults that have plagued you? Have you given to God what He really requires—not your successes and talents but your collapse, your moral bankruptcy, your inabilities? Are you weak for Yeshua’s sake? Have you admitted your powerlessness?
Paul writes that God deliberately kept him aware of his weaknesses in order to prevent spiritual pride. Apparently spiritual pride is a serious concern, even for those inspired by the Spirit. The key to humility is weakness and God desires humility. If you thought of your weaknesses as God’s reminders to remain humble, would that change your feelings? If you realized that the sovereign God has arranged your life so that you can experience weakness as the path to His divine presence, would you think of those struggles as signs of His love and care?
It’s difficult to embrace our weaknesses. They make us very uncomfortable. They embarrass us. Perhaps we feel shame. Certainly we experience regret and remorse. We can’t imagine that anyone, even God, can do much with all our mistakes, inadequacies and inabilities. We don’t look for leaders who have failed. But maybe we should. Maybe the common denominator of those who follow the Messiah is not just care for each other. Maybe it is recognition and acceptance that we are wounded and weak. Maybe one of our most important lessons is that perfection is a myth, a divisive defense that keeps us separated from the reality of our broken humanity. Maybe we need to hug each other and say, “I’ve failed too. I know how it feels. You and I are the same.”
Topical Index: weakness, astheneia, 2 Corinthians 12:9, pride, humility
Great word today! This will help me to re-think the cascade of failures in my life — instead of tauntings from HaSatan telling me that I can never amount to anything, I should be looking at it as, in your words, “God’s reminders to remain humble…”
Now to put it into practice!
I have often wondered what keeps people dead in their sins. What keeps them from wanting life? What kept me bound and desperate all those years? Why don’t we naturally wake up in the morning wanting to, like Ella Wheeler Wilcox describes, “trade in half truths to grasp the whole”? What keeps us from the best?
I suffered (still do!) from pride. I think pride, more than anything else, could be the yetzer hara’s signature well of identity. I go to my pride when I need to experience who I think I am. Pride covers over the hole where I believe myself exists, and I guard that crack in my ground with all the fury of a mother protecting her firstborn baby. To the flesh, pride is the only ‘reason’ I am ‘alive’.
Pride also keeps me from admitting failure, and because of that, I suffer from the insanity of repeating mistakes because I didn’t learn the last time. Pride keeps me, as the world calls it ‘believing in myself’, which is the poor substitute the flesh (my own will) comes up with for the faith of Yeshua in me. Pride is the source of all the ‘trust’ my poor self can manufacture to run on. Pride was my only source for the faith to get up and run another day. Pride was the energy drink I drank because I had no access to the River of Life. And pride was what was killing me. Pride is self’s Kool-aid in a paper cup.
To access the power of heaven, I must thread my way back through all the places that power was lost. Um, that would be my failures. Pride can never go there, but to “undo the spell of the past with dissevering mutters”, I must reverse what I did wrong the first time. Pride is the best vehicle for launching myself into places the will of God has not guided me. Pride is the very antithesis of the will of anyone else but me, in fact. Pride keeps the ears closed to both rebuke and invitation alike, and keeps the eyes closed to the truth, too, because they refuse to see where things went wrong. If I make a choice to never admit failure, my nephesh is going to respond by creating a paradigm where no failure can be detected, for I must still be able to ‘trust’ myself (believe that I am accomplishing love) to be able to continue down my chosen path.
If I believe what the Bible tells me about myself, however, it is going to readily apparent that pride is lying to me. I have a choice then to humble up and act like what the Bible says is true (new paradigm). When I do that, I immediately run out of my own gas (power). At that point, I realize what has been true all along. Sin ‘gives’ us power about like a lizard eating its tail. I am all always a little further behind at the end of those days. The real truth is that I never was able to accomplish the first good thing on my own. Nuff said.
Only One
Friends, there is only “One” perfect person ever to have lived. And as for the rest of us? Sinners all. From Adam to Zephaniah, (When will we agree with God? When are we going to confess?), “ALL” have sinned and fallen short of the mark. Every single man, woman and child who draws breath is in need of that One Perfect Man, the Second Adam, our LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ. We are sinners in need of a Savior! My confession? I will borrow Paul’s words as my own: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of (hello!) ALL acceptation, that Christ Jesus has come into the world to save sinners, of whom (move over Paul)- “I” am chief.”
Here am I. Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me. But what does our Savior say to the sinner? “Come unto Me!!” Remember? Yeshua embraced the leper!! Hallelujah! What a Savior, who can take a poor lost sinner, lift him from the miry clay and set him free!!!
And, as one who has been redeemed, I can now join with the great cloud of witnesses and testify: “Blessed IS the Name of the LORD!”
~ “But when Yeshua heard, He said to them, “The healthy have no need for a physician, but those who have become very ill; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Yes, and as we “all have sinned,” God has provided HImself the Lamb.. (Genesis 22.8) “Whosoever will” may come!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeNA1NoJJH4
Wow, I really needed to be reminded of this today. Thank you Skip!
Everyone loves a winner. As usual your post coincided with a new awareness that has just come into focus as of late. I use Facebook as marketing tool for my culinary nutrition ministry and to keep up with people I know. Skip, as you know, I’ve suffered from severe digestive issues from my 2002 horseback riding accident. I have been very grateful for the financial help you and this community has provided. Last November, due to new medical discoveries, doctors were able to diagnose the issue and treat it.
From 2002 until November 2015 my health progressively declined. As I declined I still had to earn a living. My struggle was difficult. As I reached out to many friends and family for emotional support I was met with rejection and even shunned. Only a small number of people stayed connected to me. This was a time when my faith had to increase or I would have died. God was with me guiding me through the process. I have been in recovery since November and have now gained back my weight and strength. I posted a vibrant current photo on Facebook and have received numerous accolades. People who shunned me during my weakest state are back to sing my praises. Sad isn’t it, everyone loves a winner!
Robin,
I wasn’t aware of your health journey of several years, and was sorry to learn of it.
Praises for the correct diagnosis and treatment.
May things continue to go well.
Wow Skip! Your TW really spoke to me today. It put the focus back in focus for me. Weaknesses. There is strength in our weakness, but it is not ours!! It’s funny because I know this as I have experienced it. Thank you, YHVH!
SKIP YOU WROTE: Paul writes that God deliberately kept him aware of his weaknesses in order to prevent spiritual pride. Apparently spiritual pride is a serious concern, even for those inspired by the Spirit. The key to humility is weakness and God desires humility: AND not successes or talents but collapse, bankruptcy and inabilities .
LAURITA YOU WROTE: Pride also keeps from admitting failure, … And pride is what kills.
Now the scripture further reminds us: Pride brings kingdoms to a fall, Kills kings etc. BUT Also that God chooses the weak to show the strong their weaknesses. The less informed to show the wise their foolishness. The uninformed to show the knowledgeable how little knowledge they have…
Is this why Yeshua said come and learn from me – Be meek and humble.
And why the OT refers to the success of those called who admitted their weaknesses Gideon self awareness of social status. Saul admittance of lack of wisdom, Moses claiming his weaknesses and so we can go on…
Others struck in their strengths and humbled by God’s power to change what they had with no consideration of man and his status…
Does this not also prove that everything we do to try and find favour in God’s eyes are but futile attempts a waste of energy and that is why we must stay in the breaking of the bread till called and empowered by God or the Holy Ghost…
The calling is to become one of spirit with God and one of deeds with Yeshua. To do this we cannot do it through our own power we need to become nothing to be something for God – Nicely explained Skip…
The reality just let’s me realize that I need to be like Ananias and Peter and wait for the prophetic sign from God on what to do not the conscience or most appropriate thing to do… As Laurita said in a previous post we may just mess God’s plan up… Patience friends! God is in control, He knows what is best and when and until He has not made this known we are doing more harm than good…
JUST A THOUGHT
We can only keep ourselves holy the rest is what God does and we will only understand this when God reveals His decision not our understandings of His intent… With this in mind we will need to learn from the records how different people had to humble themselves before God could use them… Is this maybe not the spiritual insight we are missing because we are trusting on others KNOWLEDGE and especially ADD-ONS to the records instead of keeping them as pure as what they have been left for us to learn how to trust and rely on God through the faithfulness of the works (Yeshua) he has prepared for us…
Yes Skip this is not ignoring the wrong being done but reminding others of their own responsibility to become holy rather than provide a solution – the easy way out… You previously said God is about Tough love not an easy why out.
Very insightful post today, Skip.
Wish John were still alive to read this. He would definitely give it a big “Thumbs Up.”
A much needed word I needed to hear. I have a job opportunity coming up that is pushing me out of comfort zone. I’m an introvert thru and thru and this job will put out front to be a leader. I know this is all Gods doing. Giving me the opportunity to let Him to truly be my strength because I know I can’t do this job on my own. I’ve certainly been ashamed and embarrassed on my weaknesses but now I see God’s got me right where He wants me. Humble and totally dependent on Him.
Weaknesses as in feeling incapable, insufficient strength to carry on an “impossible” task, perhaps?
Paul sounds very discouraged / perplexed, and was transparent in humility admitting his awareness that God is reminding him he is still blood and flesh, in spite of the abundance of revelations he had been given, to being resigned to depend / draw on His power / strength instead to endure the discomfort he was going through.
In weakness, may we find strength in Him.
Hi Skip and others,
God working through our weakness means, I Can do all things through Him, (Messiah Yeshua) who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). I can say no to secret sins, accomplish a task or profession by strength He provides me, be transparent with a trusted other, simply live this moment because YHVH continues to keep the heart beating and respiratory system working.
-Yes, Robin, and all of us, most love a winner in our society. I am glad some stood near you during the time of your health challenge. Remember, Job didn’t have it easy either. I look at times of 2 or 3 friends standing nearby as YHVH’s way of reminding me His grace is all I need and so are these 2-3 friends. They too may have known in a very real way, Where could I go but to the Lord!
David R