(“Thoughts I Want
To Leave Behind” is a collection of thoughts and impressions I want to leave
behind as I begin to make my final pastoral transition.)

#13 The Weakness Of
Our Strength

The problem with having
confidence in the strength of our will and talent is that eventually these
strengths can become some of the greatest barriers to the work of God in our
lives.  Living and ministering out of a place
of self-defined strength will create a false confidence in your abilities to
accomplish the will of God apart from the power of God.

Jesus said to Paul,
“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Paul’s response to
these words of the Lord was delight – “So now I am glad”.  Paul also said, “For when I am weak, then I
am strong.” He knew he could experience real strength because in his place of weakness
Jesus promised that He would be faithful to show up with a merciful display of
His power.

Over the years, you
will be told to develop the areas of your greatest strengths.  This is just the opposite of what Jesus would
ask of you.  He would say, “Develop the
place of your greatest weakness.  This is
the place where I will be able to do my greatest work in you.”  I think the Lord would say this because in
those places where you feel the weakest, God will not have to deal with the
barrier of your pride when He approaches your life with an offer of wholeness.

It will be in these
places of restored brokenness that God will raise up your ministry and reveal
your destiny.  If you let God develop
your weak places you will be able to say, like Paul, “So now I am glad to boast
about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”