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Rejoicing in Our Weaknesses

It is written in the 2 Corinthians 12:5-6 (NLT):

“That experiences is worth boasting about, but I am not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God.”

In the scripture above Apostle Paul shares with the church of Corinthians that he was given such incredible revelations from God that if he were to boast about his experience, his boasting would be justified. However, he states that he would not be boasting about anything unless his boasting is about his weaknesses. Why would the Apostle Paul consider boasting about his weaknesses to be such a privilege as opposed to boasting about the amazing revelations he received? It is because his weakness would highlight God’s strength and prove Apostle Paul’s complete reliance on the power of God alone. Apostle Paul is able to confidently boast about God’s power and ability to deliver him and to strengthen him despite his weaknesses, as his own strength was never a requirement for God to move. This scripture teaches us that it was never about Apostle Paul’s ability or strength, rather about God’s power displayed in his servant’s weakness.

Apostle Paul goes on saying that he is not going to boast about the revelations received because he does not want people to give him credit for beyond what they see in his life or hear in his message (2 Corinthians 12:6.) In fact, anything we receive from God Himself is something we could not boast about, as we have only received it through God’s grace. Further, Apostle Paul confesses that he was given a thorn in his flesh in order to keep him from becoming proud. For the Apostle Paul, sharing the amazing revelations from God would undoubtedly invite admiration and esteem for himself, as he had been trusted with information from God that was “so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:4.) The thorn was used to guard the Apostle Paul from stumbling and from becoming proud, while reminding him that he is only to rely on God’s grace and ability to deliver him.

The scripture teaches us that the Apostle Paul even prayed to God multiple times to remove the thorn from his life, but God’s response was, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Again, God is emphasizing the importance of Paul’s total reliance on His grace and trusting that God can work even in Paul’s weaknesses. Verse 9 is a wonderful reminder that when we go through trials, tribulations and uncertainties in life for which our own strength seems to be insufficient, God’s own strength will be sufficient enough to get us through the worst of our circumstances. In fact, when we find ourselves battling with personal weaknesses, it is rather an opportunity for rejoicing and waiting eagerly for God to show up yet once again in his faithfulness and might.

Each testimony told typically has a progression of a person facing a personal weakness, for which one had to rely on God’s strength alone to overcome, as one’s own strength proved to be insufficient for the trials faced. In other words, every testimony typically begins with someone coming to the end of oneself and needing God’s amazing grace to rise above one’s circumstances. Now, would we hear of any testimonies at all if we all had the strength to overcome the trials set before us? Most definitely not. If we all had the ability to conquer the giants we faced, we would have no reliance or need for an all-powerful God, who despite our weaknesses, desires to have a fellowship and a personal relationship with us.

This powerful scripture challenges us to have a renewed mindset regarding our weaknesses and how we view our times of trials. In fact, we could begin to see trials and our lack of abilities to overcome trials as opportunities to invite God into our circumstances so He can show up and demonstrate His mighty power in and through us. So, is the Bible suggesting that it is much better for a person to walk in his weakness rather than strength? It is through confessing our weaknesses before God and acknowledging our lack of ability to fight our battles that we get to surrender to God’s mighty power and let His strength become our own.

For many of us, a weakness could be a lack of belief or confidence in our own abilities to pursue dreams or opportunities set before us. When we rely on God’s strength and the grace we receive from him (which, according to the Scripture above, is all that we need) then we see a breakthrough and a victory regardless of our own abilities or how much we strive. There is much rest and peace available when we choose to surrender to the perfect leadership and the will of God, especially in the areas of our greatest weaknesses. God’s mighty strength shines even brighter through our weakness. As the scripture reminds us, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Rejecting our Weaknesses as the Opposite of Self-Growth

Our weaknesses and shortcomings are areas in our lives we often frown upon and cannot wait to see fixed. Not only do we often reject the parts of ourselves that are weak and less than perfect, but chances are we have refused to be content until these imperfections are “fixed.” Someone could tell you, “I will accept and like myself again when I have finally learned to know my worth better,” every time they fail to assert themselves in life. For someone else it could be having a short temper that has become a thorn in the flesh. For some others, it could be the inability to say “no” or the failure to establish healthy boundaries with others. Yet for some of us, a weakness could be taking an offense too quickly or not choosing our battles more wisely.

Wrestling with weaknesses and imperfections seem to be an inevitable part of the journey of life. What I found to be quite fascinating is that resenting our weaknesses and rejecting them can serve the opposite purpose of growing in one’s character. The more we try resenting our weaknesses, the more alienated we seem to feel both from ourselves and others. Because we see anything less than perfect within us as “bad,” we develop a deep feeling of shame and lack of acceptance for these areas. Rejecting our weaknesses can lead to issues with self-acceptance, loss of authenticity and an overwhelming experience of perfectionism.

But can we really arrive to the point of perfection and can anyone truly live without weaknesses? Should we not have to deal with imperfections given how fallen and imperfect the world itself is? To live in a broken world and not have imperfections is the same as walking down a forest and expecting to see no trees there. We are expected to be imperfect because the world that we live in is imperfect. 

I also believe that it is hardly ever a weakness on its own that causes so much of a person’s distress, but rather the relationship one has with one’s weaknesses. If I hold an expectation from myself that I am only to be perfect and anything short of that is a self-betrayal, then I will undoubtably suffer the negative emotional effects of this unrealistic expectation.

Our imperfections are pieces of who we are just as much as our well-formed character strengths. I believe the most accomplished person is not he who has gotten rid of all of one’s weaknesses and is on his way to be perfect, but one who has learned to live with one’s strengths as well as weaknesses with acceptance and compassion. 

There is only one condition that requires practicing self-acceptance. It is when our selves lack perfection and thus need some acceptance from us. Technically speaking, that makes everyone living in the world qualified to practice self-acceptance. Requiring perfection from ourselves and anxiously striving to get rid of all of our weaknesses deprives us from giving ourselves the most precious gift of all, the unconditional acceptance for our most authentic and flawed selves.

As we develop a more accepting relationship with our weaknesses and shortcomings, rather than having a relationship based on resentment and rejection, we will then have a greater power and ability to grow from our weaknesses through self-compassion and grace.