Tag Archives: so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why

Made Perfect In Weakness

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The Virtuous Life - Day 203 - 2 Corinthians 12-7-10 - Made Perfect In Weakness - Growing As Disciples

The Virtuous Life – Day 203 – 2 Corinthians 12-7-10 – Made Perfect In Weakness – Growing As Disciples

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  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.  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. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)

Weaknesses

Are you discouraged or depressed that you have weaknesses within you? Do you grieve that you have weaknesses within you? Do you wish that you were strong in every way? Do you have any idea where you would be and what you would be doing if you had no weaknesses within you? Would you know me if you had no weaknesses in you? Would you be following and serving me if you had no weaknesses in you? Would you be proud and self-reliant and self-sufficient if you never needed my help? Would you be able to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name, if you accomplished all you set out to do, without relying on me? You have asked me some very good questions that I need to deeply consider. I must not pass other these questions quickly or take them lightly. Yes, you will do well to think deeply about all the questions that I have asked you. 

What have you done because you are weak? What have you done because you need my help? What have you done when I have asked you to do something that was far beyond your own power and strength and abilities and talents? I have humbly come to you. I have asked you for your help. I have learned to rely on you. Would you rather have superhuman strength or the ability to place your faith in me and rely on my help? Would you rather be able to accomplish great things with or without my help? Well, those last two questions are hypothetical questions that will never be possible. How so? I will never have superhuman strength. Why is that? You created me to live in an intimate relationship with you. You won’t give me something that would cause me to live independently from you. It was an act of your love that caused you design me to want and need your help. It was your plan that I would place my faith in you and come to rely on you. So, me having superhuman strength was and is not ever going to part of your plan for me. That’s true. Your other hypothetical question is equally impossible. How so? Your word says, apart from you, I can do nothing. I have found that to be true. I can accomplish nothing of lasting and eternal value without your help. So, my accomplishing great things on my own, without your help is impossible. That is also true.

So, what to you think about your weaknesses now? My weaknesses have drawn me to you. My weaknesses have caused to cry out to you and ask for your help. My weaknesses have caused me to place my faith in you and rely on your help. You have worked in and through my weaknesses to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Your power has been on display as you have done in and through me what I could have never done by myself. So, I can now rejoice in my weakness, as I rely on your power. That is very good. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, I have not liked having weaknesses in me. That is quite an understatement, isn’t it? OK, I have grieved having weaknesses in me. Now, I am finally understanding it is your plan to work through my weaknesses so your power and glory can be on display. Amen. 

Key Question…  What fruit is your life bearing because the Lord is powerfully working in and through your weaknesses?

Living It Out…  Welcome the Lord to work powerfully in and through your weaknesses.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will work powerfully in and through your weaknesses.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has worked in and through your weaknesses.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you allow God’s power to work in and through your weakness.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here

The Virtuous Life – Day 203 – 2 Corinthians 12-7-10 – Made Perfect In Weakness – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

My Power

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Freedom - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - My Power - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Freedom – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – My Power – Growing As Disciples

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. 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. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV) 

My Weakness 

I have so many weaknesses. I can’t imagine why I ever thought I could rely on my own strength. But, that’s exactly what I have done for many years. How many setbacks and failures has it taken for me to realize that I desperately need your help? At least you are learning lessons from your setbacks and failures. Some never come to realize that they need my help. They will live fruitless lives that will accomplish nothing of lasting, eternal value. Those who trust in themselves may look like they are accomplish a great deal. All that they will have done will amount to nothing without my power working through them. I don’t want to live that kind of life. I don’t want to walk down that path. I don’t want to go down that road. My life is in your hands. I want you to work in and through me. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. That’s very good.

How will you rely on me? How will you allow me to replace your weakness with my strength? I will come to you to ask you for your help. I will ask you to make me able to do what you have given me to do for you. I will listen attentively to your instructions. I will closely follow your guidance. I will follow you to wherever you lead me. I will not run ahead of you. I will not lag behind you. I will do whatever you ask of me. In every hardship and difficulty, I will ask for your help. If I experience insults or suffer persecution I will ask for your strength. I will place all my hope and trust in you. You are my strength. You are my deliverer. I know that you will be with me every step of my life. That’s right. 

What will happen as you rely on my power and strength? I will be able to do what I could not do by myself. I will know it. Others will know it. You will receive all the credit. You will receive all the praise and honor and glory for showing your power and strength in my weakness. So, now I know that I can be thankful for all my weaknesses that have caused me to come to rely on you. That is very good.

Lord, I have many weaknesses. I desperately need your power in my weakness. In my own strength, I am weak and can accomplish nothing. In my weakness with your power I can accomplish whatever you give me to do for you as I love, follow and serve you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Freedom – 2 Corinthians 12-9-10 – My Power – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

When I Am Weak

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - 2 Corinthians 2:8-10 - When I Am Weak - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – 2 Corinthians 2:8-10 – When I Am Weak – Growing As Disciples

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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. 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. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)

Being Weak

Do I have to be weak? Isn’t there any other choice? Can’t I be strong? Can’t I be bold and courageous. Can’t I be steady and immoveable? Can’t I be a force to be reckoned with? Maybe, I’m going a little over the top. But, why can’t I have and be everything I need? Those are questions of the past that frequently occupied my heart and mind. I have never been a fan of being weak. I have never enjoyed not having or being everything, I need. I have wanted to be equal to every task. I have wanted to be bold and confident and strong. I have wanted every gift and talent and ability so I could accomplish every plan and fulfill every purpose. But, I have come to understand that it is a very good thing I have not had or been all I have needed. Why is that? As weak as I am, I have still struggled with being self-reliant and self-sufficient and self-centered. I could keep listing how I have depended on myself. There is no need, we both get the idea.

It has been good to come to realize that I don’t have and am not all I need. Why is that? I have come to rely on you. I have come to ask for your help. I have asked you to be strong in my weakness. My weakness has caused me to live in a more intimate relationship with you. That’s true. You have heard and answered my prayer. How so? You have worked in and through my weaknesses. You have given me your courage and strength. You have made me bold and steady. You have given me all I have needed to accomplish your plans and fulfill your purposes. It is only because I have relied on you that I have been able to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Only in my weakness have I come to know that your power was resting on me. That is very good.

So, I give you thanks and praise for not making me strong. Thank you for causing me to come to rely on you. Thank you for working in and through my life. Thank you that I can live and walk in an intimate relationship with you. Nothing has been better than knowing that you are working in and through my life. Keep on relying on me. Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, I don’t like being weak. Being weak has been frustrating. Being weak has been scary. Being weak has been uncomfortable. I can give thanks for being weak. Being weak has caused me to rely on you. Being weak has allowed you to work in and through me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Prayer – 2 Corinthians 12-8-10 – When I Am Weak – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com