God uses nobodies for Jesus, but even I forget that truth. All of us so lean toward pride and ego that it’s hard for us to remember that the feeble, the humble, the weak—nobodies—fit perfectly into God’s plan. Here are some ways that God weakens us or keeps us weak for His glory.
Seven Ways God Weakens Us
1. He allows Satan to put thorns in our life
Paul faced that issue (2 Cor 12:7-10). We don’t know what his thorn was (I think it was a physical ailment), but we do know that it caused continual anguish. God refused to take it away, though, so Paul would stay humble before Him.
2. He requires us to give our life if necessary for the gospel
Stephen followed God fully, and that calling cost him his life. Not only did he stay faithful even as he was stoned, but he also prayed for his murderers (Acts 7:54-60). Knowing that our faith may cost us our lives should keep us prayerful and humble.
3. He allows Satan to attack us
It was God who put the bullseye on Job’s back even when Job was a righteous, faithful man. Yet in his brokenness after he lost everything but his wife, Job still worshipped God (Job 1:20-21)—though he still had much to learn.
4. He allows pain so that He might bring about good
Looking back on the unjust actions of his brothers followed by his unwarranted imprisonment in Egypt, Joseph saw the hand of God sovereignly working through the evil (Gen 50:19-21). Stuck in a prison cell and in a position of inability, Joseph trusted God in his weakness.
5. He allows our sin to bring us to the end of ourselves
God is never, never pleased with our sin, but He does allow us to live out the consequences of our choices to bring us to brokenness. Peter came to that point when he wept over his denying Jesus (Luke 22:61-62). David hit that same bottom after his sin with Bathsheba (Psalm 51). This weakness is the saddest kinds of weakness, for we pay a price for our sinful choices.
6. He places us in tough situations among difficult people
Moses faced it at times. Joshua encountered it. The prophets recurrently dealt with it. Paul served in the midst of it. Even Jesus ministered to stubborn men, including one who would deny Him and another who would betray Him. Tough ministries with troublesome people keep us weakly on our knees before the Father.
7. He calls us to tasks we simply can’t do apart from Him
He calls us to make disciples, but we can’t change hearts. We can’t open blinded eyes of non-believers (2 Cor 4:3-4). We can’t free people from the devil’s trap (2 Tim 2:26). We’re God’s vessels, but only He does what He calls us to do. We need Him.
Some of the best leaders I know can talk about a time when God weakened them. What about you?
Source: ChuckLawless.com