How God’s Power is Perfect in Our Weakness

Culture teaches us to stay strong and overcome weakness because it just isn’t pretty. Yet, in our heavenly Father’s Kingdom weakness takes on a whole new meaning. Because God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.

“How strong are you?” I used to ask my children this when they were young. Both my son and daughter answered by striking a pose to show their biceps.

But on my own journey from child to adult, I learned culture’s definition of what makes a person strong. 

And I learned how weakness comes in many shapes and sizes. 

Like how weight lifting proves my arms lack physical strength. Or, how low self-esteem, anxiety, or discouragement labels me a weak soul. 

Also, how failure to excel in a class, understand a concept at work, or carry strong opinions defines me as weak-minded.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10b)

Paul’s visions and thorn in the flesh described in this chapter kept him from boasting in himself. He had endured many hardships and persecutions. Still, he discovered strength was found in his weakness.

While people often look down on weakness, God’s children look up to Him to make us strong.

What Culture Says…What God Says

Culture tells us to strive for independence. God says, Depend on Me.

Culture calls people weak who struggle to juggle all the things in life. God says, You don’t have to struggle to juggle anything. In fact, if you are doing the juggling act, you aren’t resting in Me. 

Culture calls us weak unless we compete in the workplace and go for the jugular. God says, Find your identity in Me. Seek community, not competition.

Culture says we are weak if we need help and we can’t pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. God says, Look to the hills, where does your help come from? From Me the God of heaven and earth. (see Psalm 121:1)

Culture says we are weak if we need help and we can’t pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. God says, "Look to the hills, where does your help come from? From Me the God of heaven and earth." (See Psalm 121:1) Share on X

So God’s calling all perfectionists, all type-A personalities, all pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps people and every get-it-done man, woman, boy, and girl. 

And He’s calling all children of God who keep trying and striving to obtain the things of God on our own or living the Christian life in our own strength.

3 Reasons God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.

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Jesus is Enough and That’s Enough for Me

Have you ever felt like you’re not enough? My hand’s raised. 

Maybe the less-than feeling stems from a relationship, job, competition, role, life dream, comparison, our own inner critic, perfectionism, or other.

And the enemy of our soul is often behind our negative self-talk and the world’s expectations that lead to I’m-not-enough thoughts. 

But—and this “but” may surprise you—the phrase You are enough circulating on social media and in articles and podcasts and so on, gives us the idea that we are enough in and of ourselves. 

While I really do understand the sentiments behind the popular statement; friends, it’s simply not true. I am not enough in myself. Jesus is enough. 

The phrase "You are enough" gives us the idea that we are enough in and of ourselves. Friends, it’s simply not true. I am not enough in myself. Jesus is enough.  Share on X

Because Jesus is enough, it gives us a complete identity in Him. We no longer need to concern ourselves with what the world or people say is enough. 

Also, we quit comparing ourselves to anyone else. It’s so freeing to know who I am in Christ and letting go of comparison. I’m thankful God doesn’t create cookie-cutter people.

So let’s look at how Jesus is E.N.O.U.G.H. and how it helps us see ourselves in the correct light.

Jesus Is Enough

E – Endured the Cross. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Jesus endured the cross so we didn’t have to.

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Knowing Jesus and Making Him Known

During my early years of being a Christ-follower, I missed an important aspect of the Christian life. Christ not only desired that I know Him as Savior and Lord, but also that I continued to grow in knowing Jesus more intimately on a daily basis. 

Because this is the only way to let Christ live in and through my life, and for others to see Jesus in me.

Eventually, this became my mission statement for my speaking, writing, and blogging ministry: 

Know Jesus more and make Him known.

To really know someone, we spend time with that person. And we grow to know them more through two-way communication and interaction.

Knowing Jesus

These same simple principles hold true to K.N.O.W. Jesus.

K – Keep our relationship alive and well. Cultivate our love relationship with Jesus as if our life depends on it. Because most of the time, dear friend, we will find this to be the case. A growing and vibrant friendship with Jesus makes a world of difference in the ups and downs of life.

N – Never stop investing time. My adult son recently moved halfway across the country. It drove home the point to continue to connect with him. We frequently text, call and FaceTime. We also started a family group on Marco Polo so all of us can send and receive videos.

Make it a habit to spend time with Christ. Connect with who Jesus is by reading the Bible and getting to know the words Christ spoke, the way He prayed, and the words spoken about Him. Never move away from Jesus emotionally or spiritually.

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5 Epic Things About Amazing Grace

Amazing grace!

The Lord has me thinking about grace lately. How it’s the foundation our faith is built on.

And how God gives us amazing grace—His love and mercy and favor underserved by us, yet freely given to us through Christ.

Because grace came in the form of a baby in Bethlehem. Grace grew into a man who spoke about God’s Kingdom and performed miracles.

And Grace died on Calvary’s cross, rose from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of the Father.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (ESV) “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16 (ESV)

And grace changes who we are. It changes our eternal destiny. Also, grace changes how the Lord sees us—under grace, no longer condemned by the enemy or sin.

I’m not sinless but saved, not perfect but forgiven, not rejected but chosen, and not unloved but cherished. This identity in Christ comes through grace, amazing grace.

I’m not sinless but saved, not perfect but forgiven, not rejected but chosen, and not unloved but cherished. This identity in Christ comes through grace, amazing grace. Share on X

G – God paid the price: Amazing Grace

God extended amazing grace to us at such a high price, His Son.

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