Run To Your Weakness?

Having just returned to higher education after a hiatus, I can testify without shame that I'm a little rusty. This week marks my entry into Moody Graduate School, and I just dropped a class after realizing 15 semester hours is too heavy a load. I prefer to avoid death by aggregate paper cuts from reading too much! Of course I still have a lot with 12 semester hours, but I'm breathing a bit easier (just a bit!).

It takes courage to realize one's weaknesses. I know that I'm not the fastest reader, and in fact I prefer to read critically and thoughtfully in a way that is more rewarding to me even as it requires more effort (time). I have a luxury to reduce my load and avoid having my weakness be a problem. Yet there are times when it seems God purposefully leads us to weakness--in fact, it would seem almost always God uses us most often in our weakness.

This is a strange concept for most of us. Our culture tells us to build our self-worth by pursuing our strengths and developing them. Career guidance books often suggest that we consider "what would you do if money were no object?" as a way to ascertain what drives us and in what areas do we see our strengths. Corporate human resource managers strategize over this very idea, attempting to align an employee to the role best suited to one's strengths.

So why doesn't God do that? Simple: we'd take all the credit. Psalm 34:2 says "my soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad" (ESV). What a joy it is to read that. I am, in fact, glad about my weakness as it gives me an opportunity to highlight God's strength. Now we all desire to boast in something really excellent and worthy. Perhaps we should challenge ourselves to run towards our weaknesses, trusting in God to see how he'll display his glory. I know that's what my goal is as I press on in graduate school, facing my fears and weaknesses, but trusting in God's strength to get me through the challenge so that I can boast in him. As it says in Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak" (NLT).