“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.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
Scripture tells us God’s power is made perfect in weakness. Bring it on, I say, because I know what it is to be weak! But I haven’t always experienced what I would call “perfect power” in times of weakness. It’s taken some tough lessons along the way, but I’ve discovered something: The amount of strength we’re able to receive from God is tied to how yielded we are to Him.
You see, in our weakness, we can also be stubborn and impatient, not willing to listen for His answers and solutions. Or sometimes we strive to just “be stronger” on our own. Or perhaps we sink in defeat from the pressure or pain our weakness brings.
God wants to show Himself strong for us! He is able to do that best when we are in receiving-mode rather than problem-solving mode! When we are in a state of expectancy rather than a state of despondency or hopelessness.
So how do we receive this perfect power? James 4:6 tells us God gives grace to the humble. When we come to Him abandoning our own will and ways, He can move through us, for us, and in us more easily because we’re not getting in the way! We're no longer trying to work out of our own reserves. We're relying wholly on His power.
If you need to experience His perfect power today, I encourage you to pray this prayer:
Lord, help me to trust You more with the weakness in my life. Show me what may be hindering me from receiving Your perfect power. I put my life into Your capable hands.
Blessings,
Leah