When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
The morning after our first child was born I stared at the ticking clock on the white-washed hospital wall and counted the minutes I had slept the previous night. The total came to 55 minutes, which didn’t feel like enough. My abdomen ached from an emergency C-section, I could barely stand up, and little Bekah was less than patient with my lack of breastfeeding experience. It felt like a lot.
You’ve probably endured a few seasons when life felt like a lot. Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly handle one more crisis, your child ended up in the hospital, you lost your job, or every area of your life seemed to unravel.
Sometimes, life’s overwhelming seasons are the result of multiple hard situations vying for our attention.
At other times, like when I realized I was responsible for caring for a tiny newborn, one all-encompassing situation feels like far more than we could ever handle.
In these moments, some of us tend to muster up as much willpower as we can find and press forward with sheer determination to strengthen ourselves. We pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and try to fix everything that feels broken in our lives.
There is a time to fix what’s broken in our lives. Willpower can be helpful. However, more than mustering up more self-effort, God calls us to press closer to him and let him impart his grace. When God imparts his grace, he works in our lives to accomplish everything we cannot do in our own strength. The closer we press, the more he molds us to his image and fills us with his strength. (For practical ways to draw near to God and be filled, join me here.)
When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong
Someone once coined the phrase, “God will never give you more than you can handle.” I’m not sure who first spoke these words, but they don’t align with God’s character or the realities we face in our lives. God often gives us more than we can handle as a way of teaching us to rely on his sufficiency.
As I held my baby girl and kissed her fuzzy head in the hospital room, God reminded me of nine short words: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
I knew he was not asking me to equip myself for the calling of motherhood. He wasn’t calling me to perfection or self-sufficient strength; instead, he was teaching me to trust him. He reminded me that he would give me all I needed to care for our child.
That moment in the hospital took place more than eleven years ago, but I remember it often. It has become an anchor on my journey of parenthood. Every time I start to doubt my ability to raise our children, I remind myself that my weakness is the perfect platform for God to show up in his power. He provides all I need for every step of this journey.
God is not calling you to hold your world together either. You might feel weak and entirely insufficient in some realm of your life. Remember this: Your weakest areas are the precise places where God is waiting to move and make his power known.
God is inviting you to new levels of trust. He is allowing this weakness so that you can experience his power and encounter him in new ways.
An Invitation to Draw Near to God in Your Weakness
Sometime today, slip away to a quiet place. Talk to God about the area of your life that feels the weakest. Ask him to reveal his truth about his ability to move in this situation. What does he want to show you about his ability to provide for you in your weakest moments?
Every time you feel worried about your insufficiency today (and beyond), repeat these words, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
Every time you feel worried about your insufficiency today (and beyond), repeat these words, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” #Godspower #Weakness #Godissufficient Share on XA Free Devotional Book for Every Weary, Weak Woman
Lastly, I have a gift for you. Would you like to connect with God in ways that breathe fresh life into your weary soul? The Weary Woman’s 20-Day Devotional is my free online devotional to help you connect with God in your worn and weary seasons. You will find 20 daily readings to help you find refreshment in God’s presence. Click here and I’ll send it to your email inbox today!
Calling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 14, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world. Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Devotionals for Girls
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
