What Does It Mean To Boast In Our Weaknesses?
Q: Paul says we should boast in our weaknesses. What does that look like in real life, and can you give an example?
A: David Guzik: Let’s say that we have a weakness in our flesh. Now, as Inga-Lill and I get older, we have more and more of the aches and pains that come with getting older. Let’s say I’m kind of hampered by having a super stiff shoulder, and it’s something that I feel fairly often during the day, so it’s kind of painful and it’s discouraging.
Let’s use that as a picture of a lot of different things that could be a source of pain or difficulty to somebody. It could be some way that you’ve been sinned against. It could be some pain that you picked up along the way. It could be a habit that suddenly has become a problem for you. The idea isn’t to find a public place and say, “I boast in my bad shoulder.” No. The real idea, and the real point here, is to have an attitude of life that says, “This is something that I can and should glory in instead of being ashamed of and thinking that it’s ruining my life. By the power of Jesus in my life, this is something that can bring blessing and goodness.” One way in which blessing happens is that hopefully it would make me rely on the Lord even more.
I don’t want to make this all about health and the way our bodies work. But when you’re healthy and young and everything works great in your body, it’s easy to take it for granted, and you kind of glory in it a little bit. Maybe not. You don’t walk around thinking that way, but you just have a sense of confidence in life. You think, “I’m young and strong and things are good.” Well, when you start to lose that sense of confidence, it’s easy for somebody to become depressed about it. Boasting in our weaknesses says, “You know what? Even as my body grows weaker, in some ways, my spirit is as strong as ever, and I am more spiritually healthy and strong before the LORD than I’ve ever been.” That’s a wonderful, glorious place to be in.