Thankfulness in Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:5-10

New International Version (NIV)

7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Weakness definition: an inadequate or defective quality, as in a person's character; slight fault or defect

Using your weaknesses, it’s not about what you can or can’t do. It’s about what God can do through you.

1. God knows your weaknesses and wants to use them. 1 Cor 1:27-29 NIV

a. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,

2. We don’t always have to say something. (I told you so and “proof” part)

a. Sometimes we cant let stuff go. We want to appear as though we got it goin on, or to get the satisfaction of being right.

3. It’s God’s grace and power that gets us through.

a. We still try to do things on our own power or knowledge.

We look at weakness as a chink in the armor. But we need to understand that God gives us a thorn that he wants to use for His glory. But, he also gives us his grace and power to be able to overcome the obstacles we face because if it.