Being Weak in a Time of Monsters

Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 CSB

We live in a time of monsters. Our culture and society teach that might makes right, the loudest person in the room wins, and if you’re going to win, run over anyone in your way. It is this way in the culture, at our jobs, in politics, and sadly at times, even the church. Don’t you feel this temptation as well? For instance, when you’re in a group of people, watch the dynamics: is there a domineering Me-Monster (as Brian Regan would put it)? Is it you?

Being a Monster

The problem is that our society and culture teach that if we’re going to win, we have to be a monster. Let’s go ahead and call it out: social media is a huge proponent of this! How easy it is to sit behind a screen and be so tough but however, you put that person right in front of the other person, they would cowardly shrivel up. There are no consequences for things being said because there’s no human interaction going on, no true emotion. We respond to a screen statement rather than a human… Ok sorry, there’s my soapbox.

All of this is contradictory to what Jesus teaches. Now, remember, this is Jesus speaking, the 2nd part of the Yahweh Trinity, aka the most infinitely powerful Being in existence: “Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 CSB. So in a way, the negative to this would be, “If you’re not humble, you will not inherit the earth.” That’s contradictory to what our culture is promoting, isn’t it?

Solution

I love the Apostle Paul because, in 2 Corinthians 12, he talks about an extraordinary gift he was given but then how a messenger of Satan was given to him to not exalt himself. A messenger of Satan was a gift to him? Yep, that’s what it says. Paul sees the Sovereignty of God playing out even in evil that someone does, and that this was a “gift” to him, in order to humble him. He even pleads with God to take this away, he doesn’t want this so-called “gift.” But God responds, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” God’s power is not shown through us when we are strong, tough, arrogant, powerful, narcissistic, but rather when we are weak on our part. This is when God shows His beautiful work.

So, where should we end? Paul says in 12:9-10 CSB:

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We are strong in Christ when we are weak to ourselves and to the world. This is not what the world calls being strong, which is really being a monster. This is true strength, strength from the infinite, Almighty Being.

-Austin