Weakness
Today’s Verse:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ~1 Corinthians 1:27
Our culture magnifies endurance ability, fitness, muscular prowess, and extraordinary strength. Large numbers of people dedicate segments of their day to endurance and weight training in order to achieve a level of fitness and strength that places them in the upper echelons of success in this area. As a result, weakness is despised and looked down upon. In our devotion this morning, Paul tells us, “God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” Let us see how God’s power is magnified in our weakness.
God uses the weakness of disability.
Disability is when we are lacking in adequate power, strength, or ability. It is a handicap that prevents a person from doing something without help. Ehud was a man who had a weakness in his ability to use his right hand. As a result, he is represented as a man left-handed. Yet, God used him to overcome the Moabite king, Eglon, and to lead Israel to great victory. Jabez was a man born in sorrow. His name means just that: sorrow! Yet, he teaches us from his inadequacy how to pray boldly, with vision and in great faith. Paul had a thorn in his flesh that weakened him physically. Yet, Paul learned through this that God’s grace was sufficient for him. He allowed God’s strength to be made perfect in his weakness. God uses our disabilities so that good comes out of them.
God uses the weakness of disproportion.
Disproportion is when there is a considerable difference in capacity or size between us and the enemy. Gideon, with a small army of 300 men, was used of God to overcome 100,000 Midianites. David was but a youth compared to the experienced and much larger Goliath. However, God used his faith and one smooth stone slung from David’s sling to overcome this nasty giant. It is when we are outnumbered and lacking that God uses this weakness to show Himself strong for us. What looks impossible for us is possible with God. What looks hard for us is never too hard for our God.
God uses the weakness of dependence.
Dependence is when our complete and total trust is in God and His Word. We are prone to being independent and despise having to depend on someone else to help us. However, it is only when we learn to depend upon God that we really see victory and can overcome our adversities and our adversaries. When the Medes made it illegal for anyone to pray to a deity other than King Darius, they were targeting Daniel. Yet, Daniel continued to pray unashamedly and depended upon God for his deliverance when he was cast into the lions' den. When Peter was cast into prison, the church depended upon God completely for his deliverance.
Don’t let your weakness handicap you from realizing that God’s power can only be maximized when we are weak. God uses the foolish things and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and the strong. Give God your inadequacy and weakness, and let Him use you!
Have a God-glorified God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Timothy 4-6