Witness the Will of the Weak

I have a confession that may be shocking to all of you sitting here before me today. In case my usual attire of Pokemon and Super Mario Brother T-shirts didn’t give it away, I AM A GEEK. One of my favorite hobbies is playing video games. Mind you, I’m not talking about what may immediately come to mind when you hear that term. I imagine if all you’re familiar with is Pong or Tetris, you might not understand the immediate allure.

Today's video games are much different from those you may be picturing. The best comparison I can make is it’s like becoming the hero in your favorite novel and taking part in the story instead of just reading it. Many games today require you to make choices that can alter the outcome of the story, meaning you can play through multiple times and receive different endings. This is much different than pinging a tiny ball back and forth across a screen, right?

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on why so many people are drawn to the immersive experience provided by this pastime, and I think it’s because they allow us to explore scenarios where we are in complete control and can easily overcome challenges, providing a temporary escape from the complexities of real life.

You see, in video games, the player becomes the hero. Many times, they are superhuman in some capacity or have special powers. Other characters in the game rely on them, and the player has all the power and strength they need to win battles to save the day. But, as we all know, video games are not reality.

We, as normal, everyday humans, are weak. I think that’s why we search for so many different ways to forget the challenges of our lives by adopting pastimes like reading fiction or watching movies.

But here’s the thing - we were never meant to be the hero of our own stories. That’s why God exists. He is the hero of my life, your lives, and everyone’s lives, whether they know it or not.

I don't think weakness is an inherently bad thing. What if we embraced it instead of trying to escape it? What if true strength comes from recognizing our need for something, or in this case, someone, greater than ourselves? That’s what I’d like to talk to you about today, using Paul’s words from 2 Corinthians 12.

I won’t lie to you - the beginning of this chapter is a little confusing, as he’s speaking about his experiences of spiritual revelations and visions. While I’ll always encourage you to read above and below a set of verses to understand the full context, today I want to focus specifically on 2 Corinthians 12:5-10. To preface this, you’ll need to understand the lead into this specific set of verses.

In this passage, Paul is essentially saying that although he’s been able to experience visions from God, this doesn't make him any more extraordinary a person than you or I. While we today may consider him a Biblical hero, he’s not the main character of the story, so to speak. He’s been humbled by the Lord and has experienced “a thorn in his flesh” to prevent him from becoming too prideful and to focus on his duty as a messenger of Christ. For a frame of reference, though it’s never explicitly stated what this “thorn” was, it’s been speculated that it could have been anything from a chronic physical or mental ailment to persecution in general by the people of that time.

2 Corinthians 12:5-10

“…I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 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. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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. 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.”

There’s so much to take away from this reading, but I’ve broken it down into three levels of observations.

Level 1: Beware the temptation to think your strength is your own

In the passage we just read, we see Paul warns us through his own experiences about the dangers of being prideful in our God-given skills, abilities, gifts, or calling. He says “...in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” This sounds a little scary, right? There’s no doubt Paul was an apostle who did a great many things to bring the gospel as far as he could, and that’s certainly something to be proud of. It took a lot of courage, strength, and willingness to suffer. He was thrown in prison, beaten, endured shipwrecks, and faced many other dangers.

But he in no way did this alone. It was not in his own power or strength that he overcame these trials. One of the most-loved New Testament passages is often only quoted partially, which is a shame because I think it only adds to its impact. Paul wrote it while he was in prison to thank those who were praying for his safety, and I think it’s a great testament to how he acknowledges he’s not the hero of his own story. It can be found in Philippians 4, verses 10-13.

Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)

“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

We see this kind of reliance on God for strength in many of the people of the Bible. They were flawed and imperfect, but they never sought to be the savior in their own stories. Moses claimed to be slow in speech, so the Lord sent his brother Aaron with him to confront Pharaoh and gave him the power to perform miracles - in this case, he threw his staff down and it turned into a snake. Gideon, who was a member of a weak clan, was selected by God to lead Israel against the Midianites and his obedience to the Lord helped him do it. David, a height-challenged shepherd with seemingly nothing special about him other than his love for God, faced a literal giant with nothing but a sling and stone thanks to his trust in the Lord.

The Bible is full of these tales that constantly prove God doesn’t call the equipped - he equips those he has called for something bigger than themselves.

Level 2: Sometimes the thorn in your flesh is actually your strength

Now, back to the thorn in Paul’s flesh. He continues by saying, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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.”

We’ve all been through hardships we didn’t ask to go through. Whether that’s a boss at work you can’t stand but never seems to get fired due to their behavior, a chronic illness or infirmity that feels like it will never be healed, or seeing someone you love make terrible decisions you know will come back to haunt them, you likely have your own version of a “thorn” in your flesh, too.

This might sound rude or overly idealistic but…have you ever considered the good God may bring through you out of these situations? While of course dealing with any of these isn’t fun, if we reflect on how we can serve others who may be going through similar scenarios, we’ll see God’s power is indeed made perfect in our weakness. It helps us realize we need him and that others need him, too. We are here on this Earth, at this particular place and period in history, because God has a plan for the time, talent, and resources He bestowed upon us for the express purpose of serving others, not ourselves.

Joseph's story is a powerful example of this. Betrayed by his own brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt, he faced years of hardship, including wrongful imprisonment for adultery. Yet, his unwavering trust in God and openness to fulfilling a greater purpose ultimately led him to become a respected leader. Through divine visions, he prepared Egypt for a severe famine, saving countless lives. In a dramatic turn of events, his brothers, unaware that the powerful leader they were dealing with was the same Joseph they had betrayed, came to him seeking food. Rather than holding onto bitterness, Joseph welcomed them with open arms, inviting them to live with him.

In Genesis, he gives God all the credit and says something we need to take to heart, especially in moments when we feel weak due to our circumstances.

Genesis 50:20

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Notice how he doesn’t say “It was I who saved all these lives” or “It was MY brilliant thinking and efficient planning that saved your behinds!” He explicitly states God intended to use the many misfortunes Joseph experienced but also his newfound position of power to bring deliverance to His people. Like Paul, he acknowledges it is the Lord who brings these events to pass through those who don't just sit around complaining about the hand they’ve been dealt.

Level 3: God is the main character - we are the sidekick

The last segment of Paul’s letter is my favorite part of this passage: “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.”

Right here, Paul is in full acknowledgment he is not the one who has the strength to survive and surpass the trials that come his way. It is because of the Lord, “for Christ’s sake,” that he is able to delight in every circumstance that comes to pass. Delight is a crazy word for him to use here. One definition is “to take great pleasure in.” He’s happy to endure whatever challenge, quest, or misadventure that’s thrown at him because he knows he’s not the hero.

He understands that in every setback or difficulty he faces, he, as a follower of Christ, can use that as an opportunity to show others there is strength in yielding to a power higher than himself. He can relinquish his need to control a situation because he has full faith in the old adage, "If God brings you to it, He will get you through it."

We are not expected to have all the answers. God knows we will stumble and fall. He’s given us all we need to tap into the power he has to get through whatever hardships come our way. We’ve got a manual - the Bible. We’ve got a direct line of communication through prayer. The last thing we need to do is fight - we need to do the opposite and surrender.

Funny enough, my women’s Bible study group is doing a study in Joshua right now that luckily for me fits right into this sermon. Joshua was the man who was to take over for Moses and lead the Israelites into the promised land. There was an immense amount of pressure hanging over his head - how was he supposed to fill in for such a legendary leader? But what I found interesting in my reading in preparation for this is that Joshua never once argues against it. All we read in the Bible is God continually reassuring him. In Joshua chapter 1 alone we see the Lord repeat the command “Be strong and courageous” four times. But the most powerful verse to me is verse nine.

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

There is freedom and peace in accepting that the spotlight doesn’t belong to us. We are blessed in the fact we were never meant to save ourselves. We can embrace the knowledge that our weakness isn’t shameful - we can be strong because we have a powerful ally in God.

I kindly ask that you’ll indulge me in one more geeky reference before I close today. One of my current favorite video games is called Honkai Star Rail. In it, one of the big, bad boss characters debates the concept of weakness with the group of heroes who have come to save the day. During the final battle, one of the most goosebump-inducing lines is delivered when a character named Himeko proudly exclaims, “Witness the will of the weak!” before dealing a massive blow to the enemy.

As we go forth into next week and beyond, let’s acknowledge and embrace our weaknesses, fully knowing our strength comes not from within, but from a God whose power is made perfect in our weakness. Amen?