“For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2nd Corinthians 12:10)

 

“For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2nd Corinthians 12:10)

This verse from today’s epistle reading is just one more of those great paradoxes of the New Testament, one of those statements that seems self-contradictory on the surface, but through prayer and meditation draws us into its deeper meaning. Thus, Paul’s statement “when I am weak, then I am strong” on the surface makes no sense – especially in a culture and a society like ours that values being strong, being independent, and being able to take care of yourself and getting whatever you want whenever you want it. Therefore, becoming weak in order to open up a deeper strength just doesn’t add up.

Yet, Paul found spiritual pleasure in the horrible things that happened to him in his life because he felt that when he was beaten down, he could feel the power in God in him the most. The more apparent Paul’s weaknesses were, the more obvious it was that his successes came from Jesus. In essence, Paul’s weaknesses opened a space for God’s strength.

Fr. John