Strengths vs Weaknesses

Yesterday I woke with a thought running through my mind. This wakening thought stayed with me all day long! Throughout the day I thought about Strengths vs Weaknesses. Constantly!

I found the subject the focus of a mastermind group I belong to and articles that popped up in my various feeds. It seemed to be there for a reason, so I used it as my foundation of a midweek Bible study.

You know the old saying, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link? Well, that’s where my mind had been the past few years of life! I’m only as strong as the weakest member in my own body, my community, and, in the larger sense, the family of humans that identify our species.

How do we deal with our strengths? Weaknesses? That’s what I’m thinking through!

Strengths

If we had the opportunity to describe our strengths, what would they be? Personality, character, connectivity, business acumen, bring light into darkness… A virtually endless list.

Bragging on our strengths is somthing we enjoy! We elevate them so that we become something of a Superman (-woman) or even He-Man!!

Take it a step further, those strengths become more about “me” than anything else. We become an island unto ourself because we have all the “stuff” we need due to our individual strengths.

Weaknesses

But what would this list look like if we were to describe our weaknesses? If you would take a personal moment and list your weaknesses down just for your eyes only… What would your focus be? How do you handle these weaknesses?

My weakness is handled by Ignoring or Focusing on them.

I’ve given you the two most popular “fill in the blanks” for this illustration, but you can easily complete the sentence with your own thought. If you do not ignore them, or focus on them, do you perhaps simply accept them? Or, deny them? If you think this through, then you know it’s true. We sometimes defend and excuse our weaknesses! But perhaps the most damaging thought is when we resent them!

In an imaginary world, let’s assume that you do have weaknesses that you know about, and recognize their existence. Maybe you have tried to change them and make life better without them.

If you were to, take that list of weaknesses and hand them to a trusted advisor, partner, or friend, what would be their response? Get ready to discuss them. Analyze them. Work on ways to make them attractors and not detractors. Focus on improvements!

Then, ask this question of your trusted individual: “Are these my only weaknesses?” Now that’s a good question! We have a weakness that has yet to be identified. Trust me. They are there! You may be surprised to hear them from others, or they may make sense indicating you never really acknowledged or thought about them.

Giving Voice to the Weakness

I believe most of our weakness probably come as a result of nature and nurture. Nature? Sure. There are natural weaknesses we have that are genetically or culturally proscribed. Nurture? Sure! We enjoy something that has a proclivity to produce weakness in our backbone or thinking processes, hence, we nurture a weakness we enjoy.

Still, some are the fault of sin, and the sin we entertain must be cleansed and rectified through repentance, forgiveness, and making whole. Although, the results of the weakness from sin may still remain.

Weaknesses are inherent in each of us, even the strongest person among us! (Superman struggled with Kryptonite) The negative voice identifying our weakness often comes from a place of judgment. Often we judge others weakness before we even recognize our own. But even when we talk about our own personal weakness, we use a judgemental tone.

It’s like we put down our weakness and elevate our strengths. It’s negative vs positive. Up over down. Right instead of left. Forward vs backward. Judging often gives us a sense of power over someone else, but let us be judged for the same weakness, then we speak up!

Here’s My Thought Today

I believe our strength shows through more from our place of weakness rather than strength. From many scriptural references, we find where God actually takes our weakness and turns them into our strengths because we stop depending on ourself! It may not be an overnight success! Rather, the ending of life may depict a better “you”!

Think about David (lusted, killed, and a host of other sins), yet he is described as a man who is after God’s own heart! Samson (womanizer), but does more in his death than he did in his life! Peter (seemingly uncontrollable anger), but stands with his disciples and preaches a great deliverance message on the day of Pentecost.

Equally, I think this is why motivational speakers, ministers, thought leaders and charismatic people find their success. They know the weakness of an audience, and they become the strength behind the crowd, prompting and promoting them to success.

That being said, when I start depending on someone else to validate my weakness, then my dependence moves from me to them. I cannot think of a better solution!

Apostle Paul

Paul talked about this in his last known letter to the church in Corinth. He mentioned someone who had “inside” knowledge. Instead of becoming exalted for what he knew but could not talk about, he received a weakness that kept him from having a big head (my interpretation).

For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth.
But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure
by the abundance of the revelations,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me,
a messenger of Satan to buffet me,
lest I be exalted above measure.
Concerning this thing
I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
And He said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NKJV)

Instead of excavating the weakness and filling in a strength replacement, Paul knew that the only way he could be strong was to allow the weakness to exist. Why? To have God’s Grace rest upon him was more important than removing the weakness.

Grace. Unmerited favor.

Maybe this is the key. We exist within our weakness, but we know that the only way to shine forth is by the Grace of God. I’m not talking about allowing sin to remain. Paul talks about this. (Romans 6) Sin is separation from God and it must be repented of every day as taught by Jesus when he was asked to teach his followers how to pray. (Matthew 6:12)

There are weaknesses that we can fight against because the battle makes us a better person. The results show that we can practice self-control, temperance, peaceful existence, and a host of other graces that make life better.

For example, the disciples asked for an increase in faith (Luke 17:5). We can increase the results of our righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10). Or, how about increasing our love for one another (1 Thessalonians 3:12)? We can build up our most holy faith (Jude 1:20), but this requires a submission to the spiritual presence of God. Finally, we can increase our ungodliness by accepting and adopting a life where the profane and vain babblings exist! (2 Timothy 2:16)

I’m sharing the idea that our weaknesses become strong only through God’s Grace. Sometimes God gives us a thorn in the flesh to teach us to depend on him.

Finally

We can dig out the list of our weaknesses, admit they are there, accept we need help, and then turn to a solution provider. You may look for self-help books, those pesky motivational speakers, or even turn to God. It’s your call.

As for me? I want to be one of those listed in the ongoing Hall of Faith. Not necessarily a hero, as some would describe, but simply unknown, but ever trusting God for help in my weak areas. (Hebrews 11)