Our Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 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.”

Reflections

What words do you use to define yourself when you feel God’s calling on your life? Do you see yourself as broken, divorced, different, socially awkward, lacking confidence, struggling, or overwhelmed? Too often, we allow past trauma and failures to shape our identity. We think, I can’t help with Sunday school, attend a Bible study, share Christ, be used by God, or even pray—because I am divorced, I have sinned, I am a victim of abuse, my home life is a mess, I can barely function each day… (Fill in your own struggles here.)

But when we let our weaknesses define us, they become a crutch that hinders us from stepping into God’s calling. Our weaknesses were never meant to stop us from serving God—instead, they are meant to display His power and redemption in our lives.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul speaks of a personal weakness—a “thorn in the flesh.” While theologians speculate it may have been an eye condition, malaria, migraines, or epilepsy, Paul does not name his infirmity. Instead, he names its purpose: that Christ might be glorified through it. God tells him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). The same is true for us today.

Scripture is filled with examples of God’s glory shining brightest through human weakness:

• Moses felt inadequate and slow of speech (Exodus 4:10), yet God chose him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3–15).
• Rahab was a prostitute, but she turned to God and became part of the lineage of Christ (Ruth 4:18-22, Matthew 1:5).
• Joseph was abused by his brothers, sold into slavery, and falsely accused, yet he rose to second in command in Egypt and saved nations from famine (Genesis 47:13-27).
• Paul himself endured suffering and affliction, but rather than letting it define him, he declared that God’s power was at work through his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

These stories remind us that in the most impossible situations, God is able to work beyond our limitations. He not only calls us, but He also equips us (2 Cor. 9:8, Heb. 13:21, 2 Tim. 3:16-17, Eph. 4:11-12). Our weaknesses are not the end of the story—God’s glory shines through them.

Are your weaknesses limiting your life and service for God, or is God’s glory being revealed through them?

Prayer

Lord, help me to show up every day as a vessel—broken yet surrendered to You. May my weaknesses and past trauma never define me or limit my effectiveness for Your kingdom. Let Your glory shine through my life, so that in my weakness, Your strength is made known.