Paul not only acknowledges his weakness, he commits to boasting about it: "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

Paul saw human weakness as an opportunity to display the Lord's divine sovereign power. Don't be confused. Paul was not a theological masochist who glorified suffering. Rather, he came to embrace the fact that his thorn in the flesh was essential to acknowledging his constant weakness and Christ's constant strength. What he summarizes as weaknesses, he details in four additional words: "insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities."

Often God's purpose is to make your weakness a showcase for Jesus's power. God's plan is not to eliminate our weaknesses (no matter how many times we plead with Him) but to cause us to rely solely on the Holy Spirit to endure. The deepest need you and I have in the midst of insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities is not quick relief but the absolute confidence that what is happening to us is part of the greater purpose of God.

This is one of the most difficult concepts for pastors to grasp—and for good reason. Your congregation expects you to be strong. People want to follow strong leaders. If your backstage life doesn't match your onstage persona, they would prefer you keep that to yourself. Unfortunately, the expectations of a robust, tough, "never let 'em see you sweat" pastor is ludicrous—and why there is a mass exodus of pastors from the ministry in years two through four. Once congregational expectations set in, pastors realize their job descriptions don't allow them to embrace weakness and admit brokenness, and they conclude they don't have what it takes to lead.

If you're a pastor, there are three potential paths to follow: One, walk away from the pastoral ministry. Two, become a professional pretender, never allowing anyone a glimpse behind the curtain at your back stage weakness. Or three, embrace the gospel of weakness and allow the strength of the Lord to shine through your powerlessness, your ineffectiveness and your insecurities.

The gospel is the story of an all-powerful, divine Father graciously sending His only Son to live a life that would be largely characterized by human weakness. Power in weakness is shorthand for the cross of Jesus Christ. The Father could have sent His Son in strength, glory and judgment, but He could not have walked among those whom He came to redeem.

Philippians 2 reminds us that Jesus emptied Himself (willingly laid aside strength), making Himself nothing (willingly embraced weakness). The only way to atone for the sins of mankind was for Jesus to hang on a cross in weakness. While many saw the cross as the ultimate defeat of the divine, God triumphed through weakness and defeat, accomplishing our justification. In God's plan of redemption, there was weakness (the cross) before there was power (the resurrection). This powerful gift of divine reconciliation can be understood and received only in weakness.

G.K. Chesterton famously said that a paradox was a truth standing on its head calling out for attention. The greatest paradox is that God became man. From the cross comes resurrection. Out of death comes life. From repentance comes hope. Out of weakness comes strength. I would come to see this more clearly as I gradually came to see weakness as a close friend.  

© 2015 Jimmy Dodd. Survive or Thrive: 6 Relationships Every Pastor Needs is published by David C Cook. All rights reserved.

Ministry Resource

If you liked the article, you'll love the book. You can find this book on amazon.com, christianbook.com or anywhere Christian books are sold.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.