Excitedly, I made a list of names of girls who might be interested in being a part of the discipleship group I wanted to start. I had so many ideas! But my mom brought me back to earth.

“I think you should wait until January,” she told me. “Life is just so chaotic for everyone right now, it might be better to revisit this once we’ve all gotten settled a bit more.”

Oh. Okay.

I wrote out my dreams for the group in my journal and tried to patiently wait for January to come. But by the time January did arrive, I was having second thoughts. It wasn’t the usual nervousness of speaking in front of a group. No, I was afraid for other reasons. You see, in the convening time between my first dreams and January, I’d experienced health issues that made my confidence come crashing down around me.

I could no longer think clearly, how could I plan a lesson? I could no longer speak or communicate very well, how could I teach? I could no longer predict when my health would flare, how could I commit to regularly scheduled meetings? I’d faced things through the illness that had made me question what I believed, how could I trust myself to nurture young hearts? My energy was low, my body was failing me, and I was weak. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually weak.

I didn’t feel qualified to encourage and challenge young girls in their walk with Christ. I had (and still have) too many “lacks.”

But you know what? That’s okay. In fact, it’s a good thing. Maybe I can’t lead a discipleship group. Maybe I can’t do these things. But that doesn’t matter because it’s not about me. It’s not about what I can do. It’s about God and what He can and will do.

That’s not all. Not only will God bridge the gap in our weaknesses, but He will be glorified and magnified through it.

When our weaknesses make it obvious to ourselves and those around us that we are incapable of doing it on our own, that only leaves one explanation: that we had help. When our weaknesses are obvious, God’s power is all the more visible.

When it is clear we can’t do it on our own, it magnifies the fact that was already there: we can’t do anything without God’s help!

God is glorified and magnified in our weaknesses.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, New International Version)

I did end up going through with the discipleship group, and you know what? God came through. Though I struggled, and it was hard, God was glorified in my shortcomings. If for some reason you are in a situation where you find your abilities falling short, that’s okay. God can still work through you. Just rely on Him.

In Our Weakness