"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.'" 2 Corinthians 12:9a (CSB)

Recently, I woke up to my back hurting. How did this happen? I wondered.

Is it because I worked out too hard? I hadn’t worked out in weeks.
Is it because I lifted something heavy? Normally when something heavy needs to be lifted, I call one of my sons.

So why was my back hurting? Reality check: Because I woke up.

I probably turned in the middle of the night too fast, tweaking and hurting my back. As I write this, I feel the sharp pain between my shoulder blades when I move just right, a reminder of the reality of my weakness.

Weakness — no one wants it. No one wants to embrace it. It is the last thing championed and celebrated in our society and culture. Yet when we turn to Scripture, we see weakness is the perfect place for us to experience God’s power.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9a, God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

The presence of weakness in our lives is not evidence of God’s cruelty but is exactly what we need to be reminded of His kindness. He is committed to be with us in and through our weakness.

I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Jacob when he wrestled with God in Genesis 32:24-32. Jacob named the place of his wrestling “Peniel,” meaning “face of God,” because he saw God face to face, yet his life was spared. Wild! Then we find out Jacob walked along “limping because of his hip” (Genesis 32:31, CSB).

Jacob wrestled with the Creator of the cosmos, and he made it out with just a limp! If this isn’t God’s mercy and kindness, I don’t know what is. But having a limp for the rest of his life must have been devastating in some ways. In the ancient world, people walked everywhere. This limp would have represented a reality of internal weakness for Jacob and a visible, external weakness for everyone who saw him.

But I think the persistence of the limp wasn’t a cruelty of God. Rather, it was a kindness because this weakness would always be a reminder of a moment of holy humility.

Humility is an awareness of who God is, which defines who we are so we can rightly relate to other people.

Jacob saw and interacted with God. And in the end, Jacob received a blessing from God, which changed his life forever.

In other words, Jacob’s weakness was tremendously valuable because it instilled in him a deep sense of humility. That humility would serve as a protection and preservation for him as he limped along, always aware of God’s blessing on his life. This was a holy, humble moment for Jacob.

Today, you and I also face weakness and limitations. Fear may be creeping into your heart as you realize you don’t have control over a certain area of your life. Friend, I want to remind you that when you become intimately aware of your limits and inability, you are in the perfect place to become aware of God's limitless and infinite ability.

Lord, thank You for Your goodness. Help us to see our weaknesses not as burdens we have to suffer through but as windows through which we can see You clearly. We pray for a deep awareness of Your strength, stability and power, which we rely on every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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The burden of “doing it all” and “being it all” doesn’t have to weigh you down for one more day. If you’re ready to exchange the exhausted pace you’ve been running at for the kind of soul-peace only God can provide, our next Circle 31 Book Club pick is the perfect one for you. Starting July 1, we’re reading The Hidden Peace: Finding True Security, Strength, and Confidence Through Humility by Dr. Joel Muddamalle! Join us in Circle 31 today!

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Stay connected with Joel through Instagram and Facebook! You can also get his new Bible study, Finding Peace Through Humility: A Bible Study in the Book of Judges, which is available now.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Psalm 10:17, “LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully …” (CSB).

What is one weakness you are struggling with right now? How can you let that weakness be a holy reminder to you of God’s grace, power and strength? Share with us in the comments!

© 2024 by Dr. Joel Muddamalle. All rights reserved.