Turning weakness into power
ChatGPTWhen was the last time you felt weak?
If you're like most of us, it's a daily affair. Whether we're tired from work, beaten up by conflict, not feeling well, or just "down," the human condition counts weakness a companion.
Leaders, of course, need to always posture strength, especially in precarious situations. Right?
I think we'd all agree that's not realistic.
After all, many of the Bible's "powerful" leaders exhibited weakness. David succumbed to temptation with Bathsheba. His son Solomon was similarly taken with a thousand women, split between wives and concubines.
Then there are the prophets. "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life" (1 Kings 19:3). Moses, lacking self-confidence, said "Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else" (Exodus 4:13). Jeremiah felt inadequate, complaining that "I do not know how to speak; I am too young" (Jer. 1:6).
Even super-apostle Paul was stricken by Satan with a "thorn" that apparently never went away, even after he pleaded with God (2 Cor. 12:7-8).
Jesus was tired (John 4:6). He got hungry (Mt. 21:18). He wept (John 11:35). He cried out to God (Mt. 27:46). He suffered and died (Mt. 27:50).
The next time you feel weakness settling into your soul, remember these biblical examples. They, like us, needed rest. They were unsure. At times, they were overwhelmed, fearful, tempted or lacked self-confidence.
The accompanying verse for this devotion (2 Cor. 12:9) is on a notecard I see every day. Lately I've been telling the Lord, "I'll bring the weakness if you bring the power."
Sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn't it?
Seeking his grace,
Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
LinkedIn profile | Books
 | Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More » |
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