The Transformative Power of Divine Grace

By Dean Collins

“Trust me, keep working, I am sufficient.” That was the message I heard early this year in prayer. It came to me after quoting a couple of verses from 2 Corinthians.

“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I have taken all sorts of assessments and personality inventories over the years. These assessments help the user better understand the tendencies, strengths, and traits a person has and our preferences in how we make decisions, spend our time, interact with others, gain or deplete energy, and personal preferences. The results of these assessments can confirm things we believe about ourselves and open our eyes to potential blind spots.

Managers, coaches, and therapists sometimes use these personality instruments to help groups, teams, or couples better understand each other, communicate better, or even optimize performance. Often a coach or facilitator will help individuals and team members acknowledge and celebrate the strengths they have individually and collectively. They also will point out the danger areas in communication and teamwork that certain characteristics or traits can bring out. Being aware of our weaknesses can prevent us from getting stuck in unproductive thoughts and behaviors.

What I have never seen or heard a coach or facilitator suggest is that individuals celebrate or brag about their individual or collective weaknesses. Usually we try to avoid, correct, or work around our weaknesses. But when it comes to our faith journey, the apostle Paul takes a different approach. In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, Paul said that while he had prayed that God would remove his weakness—in this case the weakness seemed to be a physical malady—God chose not to remove the weakness. 

Looking at these two chapters, we find Paul describe his weaknesses as:

·      Daily pressure on him (11:28)

·      Anxiety for all the churches (11:28) 

·      A physical issue that he called a “thorn in the flesh” and a “messenger of Satan to harass me”

Note that these descriptions come after Paul lists numerous challenges he experienced, including beatings and stoning, imprisonment, shipwreck not once but three times, long journeys, dangers in the wilderness, the city, and the sea. And all this before Paul even mentioned his weaknesses!

Paul had earlier outlined things that one might think he would boast about. Things like his education, his ethnicity as a Jew, and his roots that run all the way back to Abraham. But Paul said that he wouldn’t boast about those things even though many other would. Instead, he said, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

In chapter 12, Paul said that as he processed all these experiences and his weaknesses, he received a word from the Lord: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

I have thought about this verse everyday this year. It comes to mind for two reasons. First, it is a verse I memorized in first week of this year and have quoted and prayed every day since. The second reason is that this year, more than any other season or year of my life, I have been aware of my weaknesses. I have owned them and acknowledged them in prayer many times. I have written many paragraphs and prayers in my prayer journal about them. And at times, I have certainly thought that it was my weaknesses that may hold back the success of the work and ministry I am responsible to lead.

The repetition of struggles I have walked through this year has brought spiritual clarity as I am learning to accept, timidly at first and now confidently, what the Lord told Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I have witnessed more times than I can count how God has provided and done immeasurably more than I could ever do as I acknowledge my weakness and celebrate his sufficient grace and power at work in and around me.

One day I may do some more coaching, mentoring, or consulting again. Maybe I will once again use some personality assessments to help me connect with the people I am working with. But one thing I will definitely do as I seek to help others with their challenges is make it clear that if you really want to see God do something significant in your life, then don’t boast about your skills and talents. It would be much better to admit your weaknesses to yourself and to the Lord and then celebrate that you will soon see how sufficient his grace is in your life. Better his power at work in us than anything we might try to do alone.

Father, today we confess that you are all sufficient and your grace changes everything. We surrender to you and ask that your grace and power work in us and through us for your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 Your Time with God’s Word
2 Corinthians 11:28-30, 12: 7-10 ESV

Photo by Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash
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