I’m no good at…
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Have you ever been in a job interview and been asked a question that sounded something like this: “What would you say are your weaknesses?”
Most of us have been coached to think of a way to say something that sounds good to answer this question. Things like; caring too much, paying attention to too many details, or too organized. We say things like this because we don’t really want people to know what our weaknesses are. We think if people know where we are weak they will look down on us, but that is not how God does things. God takes our weaknesses and uses those things as a way to bring glory to Himself.
One of my weaknesses is administration. I know this. I’ve known it for years. I’ve also known that, since it is a weakness for me, I needed to work extra hard on it. (For those of you who have texted me before, you know this) I’ve spent countless hours putting together spreadsheets, outlines, notebooks, and other things that help me take care of administration. I try very hard to make it look like administration is not a weakness for me. Why? Because I’ve been caught unprepared before and it really bit me in the rear.
When it comes to putting together a team of people we try to staff or build toward our weaknesses so that our teams have no gaps in coverage. We want to make sure we have all of our bases covered. (That’s two sports analogies in a row, sorry.) While God has indeed gifted each person differently and intended that we compliment one another, He does not intended that we avoid our weaknesses. It is our weaknesses that ensure that people know that it is God at work in and through us.
When we accomplish something in spite of the weaknesses that we have, maybe even highlighting those weaknesses, people cannot deny that it was the power and strength of the Lord that made it possible. It leaves no room for boasting, except in the power of the Lord.
When I can accomplish an event while being weak in administration, God gets the glory. I cannot say that it was me, because it wasn’t. We need to embrace our weaknesses and look for ways to promote them. Not only is it counter-cultural, but it’s also a way to make less of us and much of the Lord.
Where are you weak?
