Strength in Weakness – Erin Kass {Be Encouraged with Kristina}
Listen for a minute. Hear that? It’s the sound of my teenage self rolling on the floor with side splitting laughter. I just took a trip in my time machine to deliver this message to her: “15 years from now you’ll actually ENJOY writing. And you’ll be writing for a blog. And multiple people will actually say – with a straight face – ‘I really enjoy your writing, you should write a book’. ” Even as I write that now, my 32 year old self doesn’t fully believe it!
If Facebook existed back then I’m sure my mom would’ve posted many statuses regarding the effort it took to help me complete a writing assignment. I absolutely H A T E D it. A simple essay would take me for-ever to write. Language arts was one of my least favorite subjects in school. While my friends took Advanced Placement English, I played in the darkroom. (Thank you Jesus for showing me my life’s calling early enough to avoid that class!!!)
Looking back, essentially my Type A perfectionist self was making it waaaay too difficult. I put too much pressure on myself. I tried to edit and make it perfect while I wrote. I still have the tendency to do that and have to smack myself out of it. (ok, maybe not physically smack but take a break…or take a bubble bath because somehow my brain gets filled up with inspiration when I’m relaxing in the tub. It’s seriously my second office…or quite possibly even my first…TMI? ok. Moving on…)
I’ve learned that this same ‘bubble-bath-to-chill-out’ approach tends to help in the other areas of my life that seem frustratingly challenging. Yes there are definite areas that I have absolutely NO skills in. When God was passing out talents in the athletic field, I was on the other side of heaven in the line for music and art. If you value your head, I suggest you keep a safe distance if you ever see me trying to serve a volleyball. Or any ball for that matter. I just wasn’t created for sports. Which is totally cool, because He created other people to serve in that area and has different plans for me. But there are many areas that all of us deal with. Patience? Feelings of inadequacy in what we DO have skill in? Wanting to throw up from fear if asked to speak in front of more than the person in the mirror?
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (Paul talking about the thorn in his flesh…if you don’t know the whole story, read all of 2 Corinthians 12)
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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. 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.”
If we could handle everything in our lives we wouldn’t need God. In my opinion, life would be pretty boring without Him even if I was able to handle it all myself. It is exciting on unexplainable levels to see how He works things out in our lives like only He is able.
If you are struggling in an area of weakness, GET EXCITED!!! You, my friend, have an opportunity for God to show off His mad skills. (Do people even say ‘mad skills’ anymore? Am I being totally ‘old’ and uncool? Maybe I should spend some time studying the urban dictionary…) His power is made perfect in our weakness. When we say ‘Ok God I’m done trying, I’m totally clueless, I’m not even going to attempt to play You, please come handle it’ we set off God’s supernatural action sequence. He presses some buttons on His fancy control board and sends a special delivery solution to your situation. (I know the Bible doesn’t actually mention fancy control boards but just enjoy the ride in my head for a minute ;) )
Memorize ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ and speak it when you’re having a difficult moment. Remind yourself of what God says about your situation, then sit back and watch Him bless your socks off!
