I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak, I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. 2 Corinthians 13:9 (TPT)
Celebrate My Weaknesses – Prayer and Mystery Series – Part 5
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | PART 7
Something beautiful happens when we surrender our “rightness” and let go of the need to know everything.
It makes room for the unexpected.
It opens up possibilities beyond what we are currently experiencing.
It helps us see other people as, well, other people. Not enemies or adversaries, but people made of blood and bone and spirit and stardust, just like me.
Rigid and staunch faith has no movement, no flex, no “catch the light” points and bumps and facets. It’s as flat and as lifeless as an arid plain.
But a faith that includes a non-need to know? That acknowledges our finite nature, and his infinite wonder? A faith that trusts there is more going on here than what we know?
And look, it's a risk. Authentic faith is. It requires a level of brokenness, humility, and courage. All expansion does.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul said that God said to him: “My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness.”
So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak, I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. So I’m not defeated by my weakness, but delighted!”
There is a glorious beauty in our brokenness. And as much as God heals and redeems and restores, it takes a broken-down pride to follow him through the healing.
I used to believe that white-knuckle hanging on to dogma was faith. But if I trust God, even the moments where I feel like I can’t hold on any longer, and I let go, I’m still held in that irrevocable mystery of God’s love.
I’m not talking about willingly sinning, Ok. Let's be very clear.
But, let go of what?
What kind of knowing are we talking about?
Things like:
The idea that forgiveness is impossible.
That someone else should take the first step in reconciliation.
That we should store up wealth for ourselves and ignore the needs of others.
That death is the end.
That our understanding of scripture is infallible.
Church and state, God and politics.
That we might be wrong about a social issue.
Healing and miracles.
The origin of racism and inequality.
Who is God?
What is God?
Who does God love?
How does God love?
Universe?
Beauty?
Creation?
Science?
(Do we really know anything at all? ha!)
These things and more take an enormous amount of humility and courage to engage.
Our weaknesses make us stronger. Not by indulging in them. But by acknowledging them. The cracks are where the light shines through. It’s where grace breathes and moves and lives.
It's in the admission of our finiteness that we can explore the infiniteness of God. “I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak, I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me.”
Humility isn’t a passive emotion. It’s a robust and vital way of living open-handed and hearted. It says “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I want in on it anyway.”
Sometimes, it's in the “letting go,” the surrender and the admission of weakness, that the finding begins…
And if we’re honest, the finding lasts a lifetime.
Thank God for that.
Your turn… What are you white knuckling on to? Leave us your comments below.
Go to Part 6 – Our Father »
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