Purpose Driven Life Day 35

Day 35, June 4th, "God's Power In Your Weakness"

  2 Corinthians 12:9a says, "Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weaknesses.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me." God loves to use weak people. We all have weaknesses. We all have imperfections, physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual weaknesses. The important issue is what we choose to do with them. If we deny, defend, excuse, or resent our weaknesses it prevents God from using them the way he desires. Isaiah 55:9 says, "For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." God looks at our weaknesses completely differently then we do. He works in ways the exact opposite of what we expect. How many times in your life have you prayed for something and God gave you the exact opposite? I know for me it has happened a lot and eventually I understand why. God uses our strengths AND weaknesses for His glory. "Your weaknesses are not an accident, God deliberately allowed them in your life for the purpose of demonstrating his power through you." God is drawn to people who are weak and admits it. Matthew 5:3 says, "'God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.'" God uses us imperfect ordinary people to do extraordinary things. "God is never limited by our limitations." (Rick Warren). God will always use us if we let him work through our weaknesses.

ADMIT YOUR WEAKNESSES

    - It is important to admit our weaknesses and not pretend to have it all together. Show your weaknesses. Make a list of your weaknesses. In order for God to work through our weaknesses we have to first know who God is and second know who we are. Sometimes it takes a crisis for us to realize who we are and God won't hesitate to allow a crisis for us to discover it. I've seen this first hand with myself and with others. I grow closer to God in my times of trouble. God uses my weaknesses to help me grow.

BE CONTENT WITH YOUR WEAKNESSES
     - 2 Corinthians 12:10 says, "That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." God uses our weaknesses to make us stronger. "Contentment is an expression of faith in the goodness of God." (Rick Warren). Our weaknesses cause us to be depend on God. "Whenever you feel weak, God is reminding you to depend on him." At times you may be so satisfied with your life and you start drifting from God. God may place a weakness in your life to draw you closer to him. Weaknesses help prevent arrogance and keep us humble. God often times attaches a major weakness with a major strength to keep us in check. Weaknesses also encourage fellowship with other believers. "Strength breeds an independent spirit, our limitation show how much we need each other."  (Rick Warren). When we have weaknesses we depend on other people. Our weaknesses increase our capacity for sympathy and ministry. "Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts." (Rick Warren). Some of our most embarrassing and hurtful things are the most powerful tools God uses to heal others. God turns our weaknesses into strengths. Once we conquer our weaknesses they can become our strengths and we can use them to help other people going through the same situation we went through.

HONESTLY SHARE YOUR WEAKNESSES

     - The more we let our guard down the more God will be able to use us to serve others. It is important that we share our failures, frustrations, and fears. "Opening up relieves stress, defuses your fears, and its the first step to freedom." (Rick Warren). We need to be honest with ourself, others, and God. When we are honest with God he gives us more grace. "Our strengths create competition but our weaknesses create community." (Rick Warren). Sharing your weaknesses with others will help you have more of a community and fellowship with them. You have to decide if you want to impress people or influence people. You have to get close to people in order to influence them. If you don't share any of your weaknesses with people they are going to become discouraged and feel they are not good enough. If you share you are opening up and showing that you are not perfect and they can help you turn your weaknesses into strengths and support you.

GLORY IN YOUR WEAKNESSES

   - Romans 8:26a says, "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words." When you don't know what to pray the Holy Spirit helps you. "When Satan points out our weaknesses, argue with him and fill your heart with praise for Jesus, who understands every weakness of ours, and for the Holy Spirit, who help us in our weakness." God also turns our strengths into weaknesses to use us more. God takes things away from us at times to show use us more for his good. What areas of your life are your weaknesses.

Point to Ponder: God works best when I admit my weakness.
Verse to Remember: "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a
Question to Consider: Am I limiting God's power in my life by trying to hide my weaknesses? What do I need to be honest about in order to help others?