The Worse Things Are, The More Jesus Is There

There’s an astonishing verse in 2 Corinthians:  “Therefore, I will delight in my weaknesses.” (12:9)  I don’t know about you, but I have never experienced this radically positive outlook.  I’ve recently had a little epiphany, though, and I’m moving toward this.  

Weaknesses of any kind frustrate the heck out of me:  physical inability to do something, inability to resolve some kind of interpersonal issue, tech issues I can’t navigate (these really throw me off), moral weaknesses and spiritual struggles, character traits I haven’t developed.  I have never “rejoiced” or “delighted” in any weaknesses and found the idea incomprehensible.  

Then I recently began to grasp the concept:  what Paul is saying is that “In my weakness He is strong.” (same verse) That idea didn’t resonate with me until I heard it phrased another way:  the less of me there is, the more of Jesus there can be.  The more incompetent I am, the more Jesus can come in and work.  The more holes in my life, the more Jesus can pour in to fill up all the gaps.  The emptier I am, the more Jesus I can hold.  The worse things are, the more Jesus is there.

The upshot of this is that several times in the last few months when I have been unable to do something or I’m messing something up, I’ve been able to think, “Oh, yeah, this is where God comes in!”  And it was immediately calming and joyful.  I am seeing how it can be a delight for God to come in when things are bad or when I can’t do something. There are no negatives to having “more of God.”

I can relax over potential problems, and not panic when they happen, because I know that’s when God shows up in greater power.