When I am weak, then I am strong

2 Corinthians 12:9-11

New International Version (NIV)

9 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. 10 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’s Concern for the Corinthians

11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

Paul says about his weakness - When he had to suffer the infliction from the evil force, which would buffet him.

There was this aspect of exalting about the abundance of the revelations: Where Paul says, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

At first it seems to be a punishment, because Paul says "Thorn in the flesh" - A Thorn would eventually hurt, and it will be a painful experience that is what he meant by. This happened because of a reason, He shouldn't exalt above measure. It is some of our weakness too, when we are better than the other, we ought to exalt, revelations are not something that everyone are gifted about. Great revelations have made great men, and great men had great revelations. That was the weakness of Paul. He would have exalted more about himself rather than God. But he was not punished, but chastened, and this is what God does miraculously, this enables us to go through a different path than what we have planned for.  This will be the time to rely upon God the most, and that is why Paul even says, v8. Concerning  this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Joel 3:10

New International Version (NIV)

10 Beat your plowshares into swords
    and your pruning hooks into spears.
Let the weakling say,
    “I am strong!”

Let the weak say, "I am Strong!" - In our weakness, we will have to find the strength in God, who is able to do everything for good. Let us remember if in our gifts we are for glorifying him,  we ought to glorify in our weakness too...

Our attitude should be like that of Jesus - When people saw his miracles(Feeding 5,000) they asked him to be the king by force - 

John 6:14-15

New International Version (NIV)

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Job's attitude when he was tested:

Job 1:21 NIV

and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."


Weaknesses are one of the most important aspect of our life to learn the lessons for strengths. When we find ourself with a certain weakness we first have to understand is it because that I am unable to do myself or is it because I am not supposed to be like that. With the power of God, if it is his will - I will have to say, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me". If it is not of God's will to overcome that weakness from our own strength we ought to say "Your Grace is sufficient for Me, for by your strength I am made perfect in my weakness."

HAVE A GREAT AND BLESSED DAY AHEAD