When…Weak…Then…Strong

Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

II Corinthians 12:10b 

Luke 2:52 outlines for us the four areas, or categories of life. It tells us, ‘And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.’ We have, set before us, the physical, the mental, the spiritual, and the social. We naturally tend to rely on the areas in which we are most capable. If we are physically strong, we tend to rely upon our physical ability.  If we are intellectually capable, that tends to be the ability upon which we depend. If our personality is what carries us, we will rely on that. The spiritual does not come to any of us naturally. We naturally rely upon the first three. Only Christ and His influence can bring us to rely primarily upon the spiritual. To bring us to that, He must undermine our reliance upon the others. Hence, He ‘weakens’ us. If we rely upon the physical, He may give us an illness or permanent disability. If we rely upon the intellectual, He may show us our mental limitations in some specific way. He may give us some social anxiety to prevent us from relying upon our personality. In short, when we are ‘weak’ in these other areas, it paves the way for us to become ‘strong’ spiritually. So, Christ did to Paul, and so He does to us. This permits us to ‘take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.’ When we are ‘weak’ then we become ‘strong.’ 

Our most Holy and Wise God, 
we praise You, that You very kindly weaken us. 
We rejoice that by this process, You enable us,  
to grow less dependent upon ourselves, 
and more thoroughly dependent upon You. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning