How do you see your weaknesses, this area of your life you are unhappy or ashamed of, or simply, this area you are lacking that needs improvement? What if the key to overcoming was to surrender to the Most High
A few weeks ago, I called my mother around 1 a.m. because I wasn't feeling well. I can't remember exactly what happened to make me feel so miserable. I remember complaining to my mom about how miserable my life was, that I was good-for-nothing that I failed everything I did, that I was lazy etc… My mother's answer surprised me, she told me, why are you complaining, if that's what you are, or what you think you are, assume it and be happy. I then remember being revolted, after hanging up I remember saying that no I could not accept laziness, the lack of will, because it was the opposite of the person I wanted/aspired to become (although 'being in my thirties…)
As I listened to Nicky Gumbel's 365 Day Bible Day devotion, I was particularly challenged when he said "when you give God the first place, he turns your weaknesses into strength." This sentence was a real revelation.
When you give the first place to God, he turns your weaknesses into strength,
In 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9 apostle Paul wrote: “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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. And in verse 10 he said that he pleased himself in all the evils that he had to undergo for Christ because it was when he was weak that he was then strong. Putting the verse in context, God used the Apostle Paul in extraordinary ways, from a persecutor of Christians he became one of the Lord's most fervent apostles and was instrumental in spreading the Good News throughout the world and we owe him most of the New Testament writings. When a person is used extraordinarily, with such accomplishments, it is easy to fall into the sin of pride which all too often results in idolatry. We can see for example in the book of Judges how Gideon who was a judge in Israel, whom God used in an extraordinary way to free his people from the Midianites. Gideon who used to call himself the smallest of the smallest tribe of Israel, became full of pride and built idols to foreign gods after God used him to free the Israelites.
The peculiarity of our human nature makes us particularly susceptible to pride, especially when we think we have accomplished much. Apostle Paul said it well, he could indeed boast because he would speak the truth (2Cor 12 verse 6) however he tried to refrain from it because he wanted no one to have a superior opinion of what he saw in him or hear from him, so that no one idealized him. Thus, in verses 7 and 8 he said he received a thorn in the body by an angel of Satan so that he could not be proud, and despite having provided the Lord concerning this thorn God gave him this surprising response: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is accomplished in weakness".
Recognizing our weaknesses is recognizing we need God’s grace and mercy; it should lead us to humble ourselves before Him.
Recognizing our weaknesses, push us to do a painful but necessary work of introspection (which should be guided by the Holy Spirit).
Our weaknesses are often the root of our sins. It is true that all too often the word weak or weakness naturally pushes us to cover, protect. We see weakness as something harmless, even cute. It is also said to have a weakness for someone or something which means to have a penchant for.
Esau had a weakness for food and this caused him to lose his birthright.
Samson had a soft spot (weakness) for foreign women and this brought his downfall.
Saul had a weakness for the opinion of others and this brought his downfall.
Solomon, and those despite his great wisdom, had a weakness for women and this caused his downfall.
Through these different stories, we can see how dangerous it is not to submit our weaknesses to God and that often giving in to our weaknesses can result in the loss of a particular grace on our lives or even the loss of the Holy Spirit/ anointing (as was the case with Samson and Saul).
However, I want to clarify that Jesus accomplished everything at the cross, while in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was only given to judges, prophets, or any other person that God wanted to use mightily, since the new covenant the Holy Spirit is available to everyone who ask God and who have accepted and received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ - Romans 8 verse 1 so even when we sin, we have the assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of God, however this should in no case serve as a pretext to sin because Jesus said " 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. “John 14 verse 21 and further on Jesus said in verse 23" Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”. Therefore, Jesus exhorts us NOT to live a life of sin but to follow his commandments, however if we ever fall in our walk with Christ, we must have full assurance that it will not take us away from the love of God; as instead of seeing our sin, God sees the sacrifice of the cross, in fact, Jesus died for our sins. However, if we blaspheme by speaking against the Holy Spirit it is written that we will not be forgiven neither in the present world nor in the world to come Matthew 12 verse 32.
By spending time in the presence of God, in His great mercy God will expose one by one every area of our life and personality in which he wants to intervene, in which he wants us to let go of, surrender them to him. As soon as the Lord exposes this area of our life, personality, we must thank God for revealing it to us confess our weakness and appeal to His grace. This is how when we give God the first place, he changes our weaknesses into strength because it is in our weaknesses that His power is manifested.
I close with a quote from CeCe Winans (Gospel singer and pastor of Nashville life church)
“Coming to God with everything, anytime you hold anything back you are stopping the immeasurable grace from falling in your life, you have to empty yourself oury out to God… Don’t allow the enemy to make you think you have to allow God in a certain area of your life but this area grace cannot handle this area” “MAKE SPACE FOR GRACE”
My prayer is that as you started and/ or continue to walk with God you will start to see this area you are unhappy of or ashamed of, those weaknesses as a showcase for God’s grace. And as you are surrendering this area to God by deciding to not give in it but to give in to Him you will see God’s glory mercy and grace in your life.
Stay blessed
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