Skip to main content

“Our weaknesses create a space that God wants to fill with strength.”

A thought by Kyle Idleman, (2015-10-01) from his book, The End of Me: Where Real Life in the Upside-Down Ways of Jesus Begins (Kindle Location 1969). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

My wife just went through her Evaluation at work.  That means she had to look back at her year and put on paper how she did this last year and then go through it with her boss. 

Maybe you have to do that too at your work. Now some people love to look at their strengths but have real difficulty in accepting their weaknesses but we all have both. 

As Kyle says, “The idea of weakness being something to celebrate isn’t just counterintuitive; it’s countercultural. In our world strength is valued— not weakness.”

He goes on, “God is always strong, but in our weakness that strength goes viral. The world sees that it’s not about anything but him. At the end of me, I find a strength in God that I never would have experienced otherwise.”

He later says, “Christ made the ultimate lift when he raised the dead. That’s power. And he wants us to learn to trust his strength rather than our own. When we fail, when we’re too weak, when we’re at the end of ourselves, it’s then that we have nowhere to go but to him. It’s there where we discover his strength.”

He finishes this chapter by saying, “Our church staff sometimes studies books that will help us be more effective. A few years ago we read one called Strengths Finder. It included an online assessment that identified each person’s top five strengths. It was helpful, clarifying who had which skills so we could better lean on one another. People like assessments, and a number of staff members printed out their top five strengths and posted them on their office doors. All the while, however, I had an idea that wouldn’t go away. Wouldn’t it be even more helpful to work through a book called Weaknesses Finder? We wouldn’t find that title, of course, because publishers would know they couldn’t sell many copies of it. People like strengths. Weaknesses, not so much. But if God’s strength shines in our weaknesses, shouldn’t we want to post those on our doors?


So what are your weaknesses that God could show his strength in?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Jesus comes in the midst of the torrent."

  A thought by Max Lucado from his book,  You Are Never Alone  (p. 60). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   We all have storms in our lives, don't we? Max says, "No one gets through life scot-free. At one point or another the sky will darken, the winds will rage, and we will find ourselves in a modern-day version of the Galilean gusher." John 6:16–18 (NIV) says, "When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough." Max goes on, "The hearts of the followers began to sink as their boat was certain to do. Their skin was soaked, throats hoarse, eyes wide. They searched the sky for a break in the clouds. They gripped the boat for fear of the waves. They screamed their prayers for help. But they heard nothing. "If only Jesu

“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. To realize that from God’s perspective life is a test goes a long way in determining how you handle your life.   It is important to see that in testing your character is both developed and revealed.   Rick goes on to say that “even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.” So there is a God purpose behind each situation in your life.   Even the bad ones are there to strengthen you and develop you.   You see those bad situations are really good ones because they are there for your good. I start each day with a reminder that God is good.   Not every situation that is going to come in my day is good but because God is good He will use e

“What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 35). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Rick posed this question at the end of his chapter, You Are Not an Accident.   In this chapter he deals with the fact that God created you the way you are with a purpose.   In other words you are not an accident.   I am also reading the Apostle John’s view of Jesus and what He said and did while He was here on earth.   In the beginning of Chapter 9 there is a story about a blind man.   And the disciples who were with Him asked Him a good question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? ”   Have you ever asked the same thing about something in you that you don’t like?   Like that characteristic is a curse or something.   Society has set a standard that is not a standard of God.   Remember, He created you and you are not an accident. Jesus did answer the question about the blind