Boasting about weaknesses...

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me...When I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Do you know what your weaknesses are?  We don't like to think about our weaknesses, but they are there whether we see them or not.  Sometimes I see my weaknesses when I read about other people-- the busyness of Martha, the legalism of the Pharisees, the little faith of the disciples.  This week I saw myself in a man named Korah.  He was a leader among the Israelites when they were in the wilderness.  He become discontent and led a rebellion against Moses.

 "You (Moses)have gone too far!  The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us.  What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord's people?"

Now the Bible says that Moses was the most humble person EVER.  Even though God used him to lead millions of people and spoke with him directly, Moses stayed humble.  Moses was just doing the job God gave him to do.  He responded to Korah's attack by saying,

"Does it seem insignificant to you that God has chosen you from among all Israel to be near him so you can serve in the Lord's Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them?  Are you now demanding the Priesthood as well?"

God had given Korah a job to do--an important job--but he wasn't content with his assignment.  He had ideas about how other people should be doing what God told them to do.  He questioned the way they did things.  He wanted to be in charge.  Does that sound familiar to you?  It does to me.  God's response to Korah was to open up the earth and swallow him alive.  I do not want to be like Korah!
 
While I was confessing my critical spirit God answered,

My child, isn't it enough for you to have the ministry I gave you?  Do you have to be in charge of  the music, the scheduling, and the color of the carpet?  Does everything have to be done your way?  How do you know your way is the best way?  Didn't I create people to be unique--with different gifts, tastes, interests, and abilities?  Do you want people to conform to your image or to mine?  Rather than trying to get people to be more like you, you need to try to be more like me. 

(Well, maybe I embellished that a bit with what I thought He would say, but I'm pretty sure I heard Him correctly on the last part.)

I am weak and God knows it.  But he says that he works best through weak people.  He works best through people who know they are not perfect.  He works best through people who rely on his strength instead of their own.  God can deal with my weaknesses.  And if I acknowledge them before others, they will see that even though I am weak, the God in me is strong.

"Lord, conform me to your image.  Other people can't see my attitudes, but you can.  You are not content to judge my actions; you look at my heart.  Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  (Ps 139-23-24)