That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV
Paul calls attention to an amazing paradox present in Christianity: When we are weak, we are the strongest. How can that be? When we are operating in our own strength, we are limited in so many ways, but when we surrender to God and operate in His strength, we are unstoppable! It is most often in the difficult and hard times of life that we recognize our own inability and are most prone to surrender control to God. That’s when we begin operating in His strength.
Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. Romans 4:17b NLT
God is never dependent upon us, yet He gives us the privilege of being part of what He is doing in this world. He never chooses us because of our gifts, talents, strengths or abilities, they are always irrelevant. He has the power, completely within Himself, to do anything He desires.
Perhaps to demonstrate His power, or simply because He has a tender heart, God most often chooses to use those we would least expect.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27 NIV
Think about it. David, the youngest of his brothers, was chosen to be king; and along the way, this small shepherd boy defeated Goliath, who created terror in the hearts of Israel’s finest soldiers. Gideon, as he cowered in fear of the Midianite army, was greeted by the angel as a “mighty warrior.” Daniel, a mere exile, refused the strongest ruler in the world and found courage to face the lions.
Our circumstances may not be as dramatic as these, but we too face difficult times and need God’s intervention. You and I will experience the strength and power of God when we follow Him. That’s what grace is all about. We don’t deserve to have God come alongside of us and give us strength, but when we surrender to Him, He does just that! He see’s us not as we are, but as we can be with His help. He looks at us as mighty warriors!