POINT TO PONDER: God works best in weakness.
REFLECT: How did today's reading impact you?
God loves to use weak people. Everyone has weaknesses. In fact you and I have a bundle of flaws and imperfections: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Usually we deny our weaknesses, defend them, excuse them, hide them, and resent them. This prevents God from using them the way He desires. 
       "I am with you; that is all you need.  My power shows up
   best in weak people." (2 Corinthians 12:9 -Living Bible)

       "We are like clay pots in which this treasure is stored.
   The real power comes from God and not from us." 
   (2 Corinthians 4:7 Contemporary English Version)
A weakness, or "thorn" is not a sin or a vice or a character defect that we can change. A weakness is any limitation that you inheried or have no power to change. It may be a physical limitation, like a handicap, a chronic illness, naturally low energy, or a disability. It may be an emotional limitation, such as a trauma scar, a hurtful memory, a personality quirk, or a hereditary disposition. Or it may be a talent or intellectual limitation.
Whatever it is, our natural inclination is to say "God can't use me". On the contrary, God will use us if we allow Him to work through our weaknesses...
  1. Admit your weaknesses.
    2. Own up to your imperfections. Stop pretending to have it all together, and be honest about yourself. If you want God to use you, you must know who God is and know who you are. We're only human. If it takes a crisis (of belief) to have me see this, God won't hesitate to allow it, because He loves me.
  2. Be content with your weaknesses.
    3. At first this doesn't make sense. We want to do away with our weaknesses, not be content with them. But contentment is an expression of faith in the goodness of God. It says "God I believe You love me, and know what is best for me." Paul gives several reasons for us to be grateful to God for our weaknesses: They cause us to depend on God. They provide humility rather than arrogance. They encourage fellowship between believers. They increase our capacity for sympathy and ministry. Our greatest life messages and moste effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts. I know in my life I thought I was living this is true.. It wasn't until I had real hurts and scars that I began to focus on others and be genuine myself.
  3. Honestly share your weaknesses.
    4. Ministry begins with vulnerability. Paul openly shared his failures, his feelings, his frustrations, and his fears. Of course, vulnerability is risky... you risk rejection. But when we put up the facade and only allow people to see our strengths, not our weaknesses, we are not being authentic. Our strengths create competition, but our weaknesses create community. Here's the jewel that hit me from the reading today: At some point in your life you must decide whether you want to impress people or influence people. Too much of my life and "ministry" were the wrong focus..."Who is getting the glory?"
  4. Glory in your weaknesses.
    5. Instead of posing as self-confident and invincible, you should see yourself as a trophy of God's grace.

How have you viewed your weaknesses to this point? What weaknesses and/or past experiences do you need to be honest and open about in order to help others? Maybe we start with journaling today, and openly think through your failures, feelings, frustrations, and fears.
PRAYER:
"Gracious Father, there are things in my life that I am reluctant to talk about. Give me the courage to be real and vulnerable before my borthers and sisters in Christ. May Your strength shine through my weaknesses all day today. Amen
FOR MY CONSIDERATION:
    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? Do I wish to impress people or influence people for Him?
This week's Memory verse: 
 	“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.”  
 I Peter 4:10 (NIV)
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