Power of Weakness
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8
Insight
Strength is valued. Or, perhaps what’s more true, the appearance of strength is valued.
Some men are taught early on to suppress emotions because crying or showing hurt is a sign of weakness. Some women are taught early on to guard themselves because people are only out to take advantage. So, we end up with a culture built on the fake appearance of strength and ignored weakness. But what would happen if we switched the narrative? What if we could help people see the beauty in weakness?
Imagine that as a child you knew it was okay to cry and express your true feelings. Imagine as a middle schooler believing that you do not have to be perfect to have a great future. Imagine as a high schooler someone telling you it is fine not to have a career picked out. Imagine as an adult knowing that it is okay to struggle because life just stinks sometimes.
As a guy with emotions, I have dealt with all of the stereotypes that surround masculinity. Don’t cry when you hurt. Get in the gym and mask weakness with muscles. Make sure to pick a career with a six figure salary in order to find a wife one day. Oh, and have kids. But thankfully, as I began to follow Jesus, I learned a few things. No amount of time in the gym makes a person strong enough for financial struggles. No meal plan in the world gives you the strength to navigate relational tensions.
The appearance of strength makes you waste away underneath the undeniable weakness that EVERY human is born with. Jesus does His best work in weakness. The people Jesus helps the most are the ones who realize they cannot help themselves!
Paul’s words in our verses today should be in our hearts every day. They establish the foundation for our relationship with Jesus. In our absolute weakness, Jesus still died for us. When sin was dominant in our lives, Jesus died to free us from its grip. Now, we get to embrace our weakness as an opportunity for Jesus to do great work in our lives.
My practice now is to let people into my weakness. Weakness is something all humans wrestle with and therefore it is an invitation to relate. When I am struggling with life, I invite people in. They can pray for me and maybe even provide resources. Relationships thrive in weakness because it levels the playing field. A salary gap doesn’t nullify the reality that everyone struggles. The cars we drive, the houses we live in, or the jobs we have doesn’t change our shared weakness.
As God’s children, we have the chance to change the narrative. There is potential for a generational blessing if we understand that weakness is to be embraced rather than feared. We help future generations with their emotional health when we teach them to see their weakness as an opportunity rather than a disqualifier. When Jesus came to the world, He embraced the weaknesses of humanity. In His own weakness He taught everyone around Him that His strength comes from His relationship with His Father (John 5:19). The same is true for us: Jesus embraced weakness to show us the power of trusting in our Father. And in our weakness, the world will see the strength and power of our Savior.
Reflection
What misconceptions of weakness do you need to overcome in order to see it as a valuable part of life?
Surrender your weakness so that the strength and power of God can work in awesome ways in your life.
Prayer
Father, thank you for embracing weakness in order to provide me with the greatest source of strength. When I feel the need to be strong, help me remember that my Father is plenty strong to get me through this life. Let me embrace weakness knowing that it shows others your power. I thank You for being everything I need, and I pray in Your holy name, Amen.
Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today’s devotional.
