My Weakness, His Strength

The Holy One calls me today. He wakes me with yet another lightening bolt of truth. Funny how He always seems to address the deepest thoughts that I haven't really articulated. Talk about an intimate relationship!

His Truth this morning; "My power is made perfect in your weakness." Could it be that yesterday I was so frustrated by work and my own failure to get things done right, that His compassion for me required intervention? To admit I am weak is hard. To admit that I cannot do something seems so unacceptable to a "performance" mentality. I hate being weak. I hate the frustration that I cannot accomplish something or claim the credit even in my own heart and mind for some degree of victory in my daily tasks.

I debate, "but Holy One, you don't understand, I am performance oriented and legalism requires perfect performance or else I have to change the rules, or move the standard. There can be no "weakness" admitted, no matter how true. "Try harder" is the battle cry.

"Doesn't your head hurt from continuing to hit the brick wall?"

"Yes, but I still have to try. Maybe, if I run at it from another angle, it will fall down!" And the debate goes on, until we get to the very core of the issue.

"Human pride is the enemy of My Glory. Human ability is boundless, just look at the great tower of Babel. I created man with boundless creativity and talent...BUT If I allow man to move in his great abilities without Me, it would result in his ultimate destruction. Pride would trip him up and lay him low." Looking at my own pride issues I know what the Holy One says is true.

My dull mind starts to rev up and see the "truth". So this is what Your "Anointing" is all about. It is Your plan to take my weaknesses and empower them so when I do what I cannot do in and of myself, the Glory and recognition will go to the Rightful One who deserves it, because You are the Creator of all who gives man his abilities in the first place.

While legalism strives to do and be perfect in and of "self", the Word of God says, that in Christ Jesus, I can do all things.

I realize I have been set up. Without this Truth, my failure is certain. The world, the flesh, and the Devil all pervert this truth. Each day we are tempted to approach and do things in our own strength, which only leads to striving. But each day we have the Divine privilege to engage the Holy One in what we have to do. With Him on board, nothing is impossible. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, for His is my strength in weakness and His power is made perfect in my weakness. (2 Corinth 12:9)

Paul wrote, in 2 Corinth 12:10, "I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest upon me. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong".

Paul's message is not just for missionaries on the battlefield, but also for me living in the day-to-day challenges to operate a business with limited natural ability.

Today, I know that I can and must take my frustrated self-effort, lay it at the feet of my Creator God and say, "I cannot but You can. Please take my weakness, fill me with your strength and be Glorified in the results". I praise God and my Savior that today is a new day.

The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?