‘My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness’ (Jesus). 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 (Paul).  2 Corinthians 12:9-10

If there’s a single passage of scripture that describes what it’s like to live transparently, this one is it! It has been my theme for almost a year now yet I only stumbled across these verses just recently. Oh, I knew of them before, but during my years of not studying I had forgotten and even when I had read them or heard them at church, I didn’t know what it was like to let it sink in. My heart was too hard for it to land there and be soaked up.

What does this mean to us? Can it really be that our weaknesses and troubles are the key to having Christ’s power?

Living transparently means being honest about your weaknesses. AND IT IS SO VERY HARD TO DO THAT! You are opening yourself up to criticism and admitting to others that you don’t have it all together. It’s hard on our pride and scary.

However, living transparently (sharing weaknesses and difficulties in life)  is the avenue through which Christ’s power can be shown! 

Paul says that “he delights in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, difficulties.” Delights?!! Can this really be?

You know what I do during all those things? I sulk. I cry. I feel sorry for myself. I wonder why God is allowing this. I pray for it to be over, for it to come to an end. In short, I’m a big baby who acts like a spoiled brat. (Hey wait just a second… did I just admit my “weakness?” 😉 ).

How many times do I stop for a moment during a hard situation and praise Jesus that I am becoming a stronger person? How often do we think about how God’s power can be shown through our difficult situations? How often do we “delight” in our shortcomings and hardships because we know that God has a plan and is being revealed
through us if we choose to allow it?

I don’t know about you, but I sure do want to be more like Paul in this moment! Our lives would be so much more peaceful and content if we learned how to showcase God’s power through our storms.

So the next time you are facing something that is hard, even if it is the hardest thing you’ve ever faced, remember these words in I Corinthians 12:9-10. Let it encourage you that God is using YOU (yes, YOU!) to showcase His power!  Trust that He is working things out for the good of us and the glory of God. And know that when you are weak, then you are strong.

Finally, read verse 10 again, out loud. Instead of this being Paul’s words, claim them for your own. And repeat them any time you are going through a difficult situation. I’m certain he won’t mind us borrowing his words! I think he’s a pretty cool guy… 😉