On the surface, we’re all frail and feeble, but that puts you in the best position to grab hold of the limitless power of Almighty God! There’s nothing weak about knowing you need to go to God.
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SHAUNA: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Joni reminds us that none of us like to come across as fragile and weak, because whether it’s a physical limitation or an emotional weakness or something intellectual, no one enjoys looking ill-equipped, weak, inexperienced in front of others. Well, listen now as Joni explains.
JONI: To be weak, and have everybody around you know that you are weak, it sure does run against the grain of our human nature, doesn’t it? And it is probably why the Bible makes much of weakness. In His Word, God is constantly driving home the point: We are weak, and He is strong. God is able, and we are not. I remember when I was just in my 20s fresh off the Maryland farm, and trying to do ministry business at Joni and Friends; it was a brand-new ministry. I didn’t want to fake it, but at first, I had a hard time reading the financial statements. And boy was I embarrassed. So, I asked the help of an attorney who was on our board. And he gave me a crash course on [I don’t know] fixed and cash assets, gifts-in-kind, revenue streams, budgeted and discretionary expenses, understanding a variance, and how to come up with operational ratios. But I tell you what really helped me – you know what did? It was a book called, “Organizational Budgeting for Dummies.” That book helped me feel a lot more confident in board meetings. But it did not come without a little humiliation. So, when we are weak, when our lack of ability is glaring to others – well, it’s all designed by God to humble us. It is the way of weakness. But just listen to what else the Bible says.
In 1 Corinthians 12:22, God tells us that, “Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” Did you catch that? Weak people – that is, those who are driven to the ends of themselves, who lack mind or muscles or gifts or talents – those people only seem to be weaker. Yeah, on the surface, we’re frail and feeble and everybody knows it. But wait! It puts us in the best position to grab hold of the limitless power of Almighty God! And that’s why you only “seem” to be weak; because there’s nothing weak about knowing you need to go to God! What’s more, in His second letter to the Corinthians, Paul even says that God’s power is made perfect, it’s complete, in our weakness. God’s power is best displayed through weak people. And so, what did Paul do? What does he tell us to do? He says, boast about that weakness, celebrate your limitations, for then you know that Christ’s power rests on you.
And I guess it’s why I’m sharing this little story with you about my history with financial statements. I am not the brightest and the best; but I know my weaknesses and I am happy to say that they have driven me to God time and again. And here is the lesson: the high and mighty in our world – the gifted, the talented, the well-positioned and the powerful, the so-called “beautiful people” – you know those successful people – have no more access to the power and purposes of God than the most unlikely, weakest, most humble of God’s servants. In many ways, those rich, bright, intelligent, wealthy people may have less access because of pride. So, if you want the power of God to rest on you, then freely confess, and speak up about those weak areas in your life. Confess your inabilities. Humble yourself and say to a friend, “How does this work? Would you please teach me what I do not know? Help me understand this, would you?” And if it is a matter of physical weakness, hey, then ask for more help. Because truly, when you are weak and when you admit it, you are on the road to having the power of God rest on you.
© Joni and Friends