Christ claims in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “my power is made perfect in weakness.” What is it about weakness that bothers us, Dis-Eases us?  

In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul shares how the Lord Jesus Christ uncomfortably stepped into his life. The Lord provided a “thorn”, some kind of affliction, to “keep me from becoming conceited” (v. 7). Apparently, a good God can do that. 

The Apostle shows us that we should pray in all circumstances. The great missionary prayed on three occasions for this to happen. Paul’s experience, however, speaks somewhat against the assumption we harbour, that it is our God-given right to be free of discomfort all the time.   Interestingly, God doesn’t seem to be uneasy about relating to us as we are weaknesses included. In fact, the point to marvel at here seems to be how the Almighty thrives in the contexts of our weaknesses and afflictions, proving that His grace is sufficient. Certainly, He is not to blame for all things problematic. 1 Peter 3:15-17 reminds us that some suffering comes from our own foolishness or disobedience.  But even there Jesus’ empowering Word stands: “…my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Our powerlessness and setbacks are there to prod us to invite the Lord into these situations. In this way, weakness provides a backdrop for Him to display to us an unbelieving world, in which He is The Lord. It’s like a chance for a miracle. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses…then I am strong (12:10).  

Rev. Sam Stauss