Follow Jesus in Weakness – July 25, 2019

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:30

Follow Jesus in Weakness

A pastor received a phone call from one of his parishioners early in the week. “Pastor,” the woman said, “I need you to stop by the house as soon as possible. It’s very urgent.”

“What’s wrong?” the pastor asked, sensing the urgency in the woman’s voice.

“I need you to stop by so I can give you my church offering for this coming weekend,” the woman replied.

“Why don’t you simply bring your offering with you to worship on Sunday?” the pastor asked.

“Because if I don’t give it to you now,” she said, “I’m going to spend it on alcohol tonight.”

This woman had struggled mightily with alcoholism for many years. This temptation exposed her spiritual weakness over and over, again and again. Yet that day, she found the strength to keep fighting against it; a strength that came from knowing that Jesus didn’t die to save the people who prove they’re strong enough to follow him. He died to save a world full of sinners who regularly prove that they are not.

Maybe you feel weak against this same temptation. Maybe the temptation that makes you feel weak is entirely different. But whatever the temptation is that exposes your weakness most often, Jesus already died to forgive that weakness. God loves you. He’s still here for you. He has already prepared a place in heaven just for you.

That’s a special gift that will always provide the strength you need to keep fighting against your weakness.

This is why the Apostle Paul wrote, “I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” His weaknesses and the truth that they are forgiven in Jesus provide powerful encouragement and strength to anyone who has ever felt weak against temptation.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am sorry for my spiritual weakness, and for how often it shows itself in my battles with temptation. I am so grateful for the gift of forgiveness. May it always give me sufficient strength to keep fighting. Amen.