Paul’s thorn in the flesh: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 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 12:9-10)
Weakness. Weakness opens doors…causes others to trust us, to believe that we know their pain. Weakness prevents us from slipping, from trying to take the credit for God’s work. Weakness purifies our motives and our hearts…in weakness we self-examine, clean house, ask God for strength. The meek shall inherit the earth. Those who mourn shall be comforted.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)
“Confess your sins one to another”…weakness exposed. Forgiveness…grace. The younger brother in weakness learned the lesson of love…learned the betrayal of false friendships and the power of Grace and forgiveness and the strength of a Father’s love. God did not choose Israel for its strength but for its weakness. He chose a stutterer to be His mouthpiece; an emotional wreck to be the man after His own heart; and a coward to be the rock of His church.
“Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:9-10)
Redeeming Brokenness 