"When I am Weak, Then am I Strong"

"When I am Weak, Then am I Strong"
~A Lesson in Optimism and Opportunity~

By: Jacob Sok

It was not to long into my missionary service when I began to quickly feel consumed by strong feelings of weakness and inadequacies. My language skills taunted me, as an in-passable hurtle, while even my faith in just plain people and work capabilities began to fade. Each day was taxing beyond belief, as I began to feel completely useless and had almost no hope of improvement. Those feelings began to dissipate at a rate that still kept me on my knees at night, but allowed a smile to grow on my face day by day. Those refining fires of the first few weeks were just some of many on my mission, but became some the most sacred moments of mortal sojourn.

While reviewing passages of the New Testament, I was reminded of some verses I had read in that trying time, that still ring today with their hopeful message and truths. What would the Savior have us remember when we feel like we are drowning in our own weaknesses, even after many efforts and even desires to change? I believe the answer can be found in an experience the Apostle Paul recounted in his epistle to the Corinthians.

In 2 Corinthians 12, verses 9-10, Paul describes counsel he received from Christ Himself! After lamenting, I am sure, of his own infirmities and faults of character, Paul reports the Lord counseled, "My grace us sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."  What a beautiful promise? Christ's power and strength can be made manifest in the weaknesses of us. He came not for the perfect, nor even the consistent. He came to earth for us, the unbalanced, inconsistent, and short-sighted. A Savior for all, and He offers us the chance, in our weaknesses, to see the miracle of His love and light.

Paul then continues to say, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me...I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake..."  Paul gives apostolic testimony of the eternal truth, that we can look gladly upon our weaknesses, for they are truly opportunities, for us to experience Christ. This journey of reconciliation or atonement is not a singularity. Rather, what great joy we can have and optimism; knowing that in in our persisting weaknesses, we can have continual opportunities to grow in Christ. While I do not believe Paul is advocating anything less than eternal standards, nor would he defend sin. Paul is reaching out to all of us who are wanting to be "good" but yet find ourselves frustrated and defeated at the end of the day.

He pleads with us, to "take pleasure" in those needs we have; for that is an opportunity for Christ to make the weak strong. Paul boldly reassures us that "for when [we are] weak, then [we are] made strong". Christ's living reality, is the ultimate witness that we are not left as victims to our own failures, and not because of what we can do on our own. But rather, because of what we can do with Him and His merits.

While much can be said to help us rethink, or look at our weaknesses in a way that helps us grow in Christ rather than shrink in sorrow. One particular way, was shown to me recently. A favorite gospel commentator of mine John Bytheway, shared a powerful lesson he learned from a colleague. He was taught a principle called "Reversing the 'buts'". Now this practice sounds slightly crude, but it is a powerful principle. And, this is more that a mere psychological experiment to induce a temporary peace, but evermore is a conscious choice to seek for the beauty of the eternal, with optimism.

The essence of this reversal of the 'buts', is done by taking the less favorable portion of our current situations and adding grateful, hopeful conjecture as the heart of the sentence. For example one could say wearily "I love my spouse, but he drives me crazy". Or, by the principle of reversal one might say "My spouse drives my crazy, but I love him". Another example, "My work provides well for my family, but it is so stressful", changed to "My work is so stressful, but it provides well for my family". One easily feel the subtle but powerful distinct change in this reversal thinking. I love this concept, and hope to learn to apply it.

And, while I am not the first one to grab hands and sing love songs around the campfire with a zealous bubble of positivity; I am one for wanting to apply the powerful promise of atoned optimism to everyday life.

For one could easily say "Sure maybe God loves me, but I struggle with this [insert weakness] every day".  Or, in hope we can say with gratitude "Sure maybe I struggle with this [insert weakness], but God loves me!"

Paul even uses a very similar principle in his trying to encourage the members of the young first century church by saying, "We are troubled on every side...but not in despair. Persecuted but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (see 2 Cor. 4:8-9). That active choice to take pleasure in weakness and see the bright-side to a gloomy situation is the very essence of reaching for Christ, who awaits with outstretched arms to help us become even better than we could have possibly dreamed.

I promise that while from time to time we feel engulfed in our imperfections and shortcomings, Christ is not going to auction off His grace to the highest bidder. For He purchased us all with the price of His love-and we are all permitted to see His miracle work in us, through our weaknesses. The faithful choice to optimistically try again, is that spirit of repentance that helps "weak things become strong". The peaceful power of optimism is our eternal gift to make the dream of Heaven a reality. The silver-lining to any cloud will always be the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I promise that we are not broken and left for nought, because of Christ; the joy of the weak is that we can and will be made strong, for he has promised that the "inward man is renewed day by day" (see 2 Cor. 4:16)

Amen.


Sources:
-New Testament: 2 Corinthians Chapter 4 &12
-Reverse Critical Thinking: John Bytheway, and Emily Watts "Confessions of an Unbalanced Women"
-Images By Google Search Engine and LDS Artwork.