God’s Power Behind The Weakness

 

 

I begin my post this time with a short testimony about myself. Everyone who didn’t know me very well always said that I am a perfect woman. They said that I have inner and outer beauty, have an established life, have great charisma, and many more. Right now, unashamedly I am going to tell all of you that in fact, everything that they said about me was not entirely true. As a human being, I also have a weakness. I have congenital defect. Since age of 3 months, I have impaired hearing function. As a result, to remain be able to hear I have to use a hearing aid until now. This is what I mean as my weakness. No matter how sophisticated the hearing aid that I use, it still has limitations. I am still not being able to hear sound very well like others who have normal ears. There are specific sound frequencies that I couldn’t hear very well. A high tech hearing aid still cannot replace the perfect natural hearing instrument that created by God. When I have to accept the fact should use a hearing aid, another serious problem comes. I had low self-esteem problem. I am embarrassed because I felt different with other children. I felt different because to hear well I have to use hearing aid. Then I was isolating myself from my neighborhood. At that time, I felt my body is incomplete. Though I have ears but I felt didn’t have it because not functioned properly. This problem was continued until few years.

Fortunately, I am grateful to God to have parents who always incredibly encouraged me. Patiently they gradually can evoke my self confidence and took me out from my of inferiority problem. Until now I still remember very clear what my father said to me: “You may have a disability, you may not be able to hear normally like everyone else. But I have to tell you that you don’t need to be ashamed. Because why? Remember and always bear in your heart and mind that you are still God’s perfect creation. You were created by the creator of the whole world. One day you will see many people who have worse disability than you but God gives them another great ability and they still have a spirit to run their lives. You will see that they still can do great things. You aren’t totally deaf, you just cannot hear very well but it also has been overcome by using a hearing aid. You still can walk normally, speak normally, your brain and mind still functioned properly. You still can clearly see how wonderful God’s creation. And one more important thing is, there is God’s power and blessings behind the weakness. God is righteous. Behind your weaknesses there is a wonderful plan that He has provided for you. Just believe it and you will feel it”

My dear friends, here we talk about human weakness. I do believe that many people in this world have a weakness, whatever it is. Maybe we have physical weakness such as has a disability like me. We may have mental weaknesses like trauma, emotional instability, paranoid, or maybe we have intellectual and intelligence weakness and that weaknesses raises serious problems. We could be of inferiority, introvert, touchy, and difficult to develop self-esteem. We also tend to always focus on our weakness and doubt the abilities that actually we have. If we look at the Bible, there are several events that illustrate the lack of confidence to do things in accordance with the God-given task. The reasons such as physical weaknesses and limitations, too young, and other reasons that made them doubted their own ability.

I take an example, Moses. When Moses was sent by God to go to Pharaoh, he was no longer young and felt that he had a weakness. Let’s see the dialogs of Moses and God in Exodus 3: 11 -14 (NIV).  These dialogues were clearly reflected that Moses doubted his own ability. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Verse 11) Then God said: “I will be with you…” (Verse 12) Still not quite sure, Moses asked again and then with a very firm God said: “ I am who I am,^{b} and I will be what I will be.” (Verse 14)

Though God has been said so firmly, the mist of doubt still covered his eyes and heart so he could not clearly catch the point of God’s answer. Then he said: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” (Exodus 4:10 NIV) Here, Moses spoke about his physical weakness and limitations. But let’s see what the God’s answer: “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”(Exodus 4:11-12 NIV) Perhaps it was true that Moses had a weakness in speaking. Moses was not an orator or a politician who is fluent in speaking. He is also not a good poet. But Moses forgot one thing which becomes important thing: Not due of his capability, but only by the God’s power that makes him capable.

Now back to myself for a moment. The encouragement word that had ever given by my father long time ago was so true. There is God’s power and love behind my weakness. Honestly, I really feel it until now. I feel how great God’s love and power within my disability. Though I have a hearing disability, actually God gave me another great ability. Doesn’t mean I am bragging, God gave me acuity of intuition, instinct, and very high sensibility in analyzing and solving a problem. I felt this way when I was 14. I am very sensitive to anything that might be causing the problem and if the problem really happened, I already know and prepared to solve it. God also gave me ability in read people’s mind only by looking the ways they talk. I am not saying that I have sixth sense or supernatural ability, but this is what I feel and I strongly believe all of that are only gifts from God. And later, these gifts are very useful to support my work. I am very grateful to God for such the great gifts and blessings and I felt these gifts could cover up my weakness that already becomes a burden for many years. That is why in my “About me” page, I mentioned that I am just an ordinary woman but with an extraordinary blessings from God. I realized that behind my physical weakness and limitations God’s power really works to enable me to run my big responsibility. This means that in doing something, actually not because of my capability but God’s power can make me capable to doing great work.

I more realized that I didn’t need to be ashamed, of inferiority, and trying to hide my weakness. Through my weakness and limitations, I can even feel how great God’s power and love. God’s power made perfect within my weakness. I remembered one great figure in the Bible, Paul. We all already know Paul’s background but we also know very well who he is after God incredibly changed him. He remarkably used by God to did evangelism to everywhere. And the interesting thing is, behind his great ministry, Paul realized that there were times where he felt weak, fear, trembling, and he wasn’t ashamed to confess his weakness. He said to the Corinthians: “I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.” (1 Corinthians 2:3 NIV) Furthermore, in his ministry journey, Paul once felt bothered with his weaknesses but God said: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV) Paul finally realized that it wasn’t his ability that becomes important thing, but because God alone that make him able and then he came to the conclusion that: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV)

My beloved readers, I exactly don’t know what kind of weaknesses you have. But today, as a person who have a weakness, allow me to encourage all of us, if we have weaknesses and limitations, either physically or psychological, please don’t be ashamed, discouraged, feel inferior, or trying to hide it. Always remember that God can use our weaknesses, inability, and incompleteness. God will fulfill us with His power to being able doing many great things behind our weaknesses. Perhaps, from our point of view we aren’t quite able to do something great but please remember if God wills, everything will be happens. There is nothing impossible before God. In the bible there are many stories that prove God did not use those who had an extraordinary capability. But God can use shepherds, Christian’ slayer, from children to the elderly, sinners, tax collector, fisherman, prostitutes, and  extraordinarily God changed them  and  wonderfully use them as a channel of His blessings. Let’s always remember that: God is righteous! Behind our weaknesses God bless us with other abilities that can cover up our weaknesses. We just need to be more observant and sensitive to explore other abilities that have given by God. Don’t let weaknesses steal our attention to other abilities that actually we have. Otherwise, if we feel that we completely don’t have any weaknesses, be grateful and don’t boast before God. (1 Corinthians 1:29 NIV)

Within our weaknesses, let’s come to God and hear his heart wishes. We will continue grow in strength, zest, and joy if we keep build close relationship with our Father in Heaven. Let the God’s power works within our weakness and limitation. Our weakness isn’t the end of everything. Bear in our heart that God ready to show His perfect power upon our weaknesses.  Always remember that God did not create us in vain, or deliberately make us suffer. God has a wonderful plan for all of us. Remain be grateful and let’s prove that God’s power is able to change everything, even within our weaknesses and limitations. Let’s stop to only focus on our weaknesses and don’t let us drown in it, admit it, and feel how God’s power will be able to shine upon our weaknesses. God amazingly blessed us with another great ability. He is able to use us to declare His glory and God’s power will perfect in our weakness. Amen.

Karina – Living by Faith

Photo by: Sue Nash. https://heavenlyraindrops.wordpress.com/

^{B} Bible gateway footnote