My Strength is Made Perfect in Weakness

May 10th, 2022

By: David Hoskins

Newton noticed in his observations that “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. We have come to know this as a pretty important law within the universe.

There might be something to it.

I believe this idea of opposing dynamics is also true concerning strengths and weaknesses within individuals.

Let me explain.

Every independent grace within the body of Christ has within its makeup both strength and weakness.

Every culture within the earth has both strengths and weaknesses. It has areas where the culture excels and areas where it is lagging or broken.

Each gender has stereotypical strengths and weaknesses regardless of how society would like to blur those lines.

Each aspect of the five-fold ministry has both strengths and weaknesses. Where the apostolic is weak the pastoral is strong and so on.

The point I am making is this. Strength comes with an inherent weaknesses. Strength makes a way for us but weakness can be our demise if we fail to understand the downside.

Proverbs 18:16 (KJV)

16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

As wonderful as strength is we should make note and realize that with it comes certain vulnerabilities or blind spots.

For example a person who has laser vision, often times also has tunnel vision. For the person who has prophetic revelation, they often do not have the ability to execute or implement it accurately. For the person who has great discernment of spirits, they often times can be so focused on the demonic realm that they do not see the potential in a person.

Our strengths do not often compensate for our weakness. Our strengths might have the ability to overshadow our weakness or make it less noticeable but that is simply because others are so focused upon our strength that they fail to notice the weakness. Or they justify the weakness because the strength is so awesome.

I am belaboring this concept to make a simple point. The only way we can truly compensate for our frailty to the extent that our strength shines as it should is to acknowledge the weakness and do what is necessary to compensate for it. One of the most important ways that we can compensate for our weakness is to walk in relational alignment and unity with others within the body of Christ.

Walking with others in the unity of the Spirit in relational alignment has the ability to help mitigate the weakness within us. Walking independently without others helping to cover our weakness makes us very vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.

Ephesians 4:3-6 (NIV)

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

When we learn how to connect strength to strength it has the added result of diminishing our weakness. Relational alignment has an ability to mitigate where we are lacking and compensate for our frailty. Alignment has the ability to cover our weakness. When we come into alignment one with another our strengths overlap in such a way that it compensates for our weakness, for where one is weak another strong. For this reason relational unity in the body of Christ is paramount.

It is very important for each of us to realize that we have weaknesses, vulnerabilities and blind spots. Rather than trying to hide these things we should spend our energy discovering those who in their nature compensate for where we are weak. Being aware of our weaknesses and blindspots should motivate us to align with those who bring a compliment to our life. It is for this reason often times that opposites attract in marriage.

Paul understood his frailty and the purpose of it. He actually gloried in his weakness because he knew that his strength was made perfect through weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV)

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Everyone wants to be great in the kingdom and do great things however the walk of faith is one that demands that we embrace the duality of our calling. Connecting with those who compensate for where we are lacking is very important if we are going to outwit the enemy. Our human nature is to gather with people who are just like us. For obvious reasons this defeats the purpose and can make us anemic spiritually.

Paul understood by the Holy Spirit, the things that had been entrusted to him meant that frailty and lack were also his portion. God allowed frailty in Pauls life to actually secure his strength. This is something most of us do not want to hear but the truth is, if we are left to our strength alone it can go to our head and sometimes even derail our calling.

Paul had to understand that the frailty or weakness was not there to diminish him. It was actually given to him to keep him from stumbling into pride and arrogance leading to a fall.

I see so many leaders today who go to great lengths to pretend they have no weakness. They have somehow arrived to maturity in such a manner that they are no longer vulnerable to the attack of the enemy. Many times leaders fail to set up accountability within their lives and the framework of their ministries or organizations with the checks and balances necessary to compensate for their humanity. This is often a contributing factor to their downfall. It is for this reason that we see so many high-profile ministries and ministers falling by the wayside.

When Jesus ascended, He gave gifts to mankind. Those gifts were diverse and he did this so that we would learn the importance of coming together in unity and discovering our corporality. That we might discover the strength of the body of Christ and our inheritance in the saints.

I am seeing a trend in the body of Christ that concerns me somewhat. It is the hyper segregation of graces, gifts, cultures, and genders.

For whatever reason we like the idea of birds of a feather flocking together. We tend to segregate according to race, gender, and grace.

In every way that we segregate ourselves it has the potential to make us both extremely strong and extremely weak.

For example when apostles only gather with apostles it is a very fun environment for them but apostles are not called to lay foundations by themselves. They are called to do so with prophets working with them. The body of Christ is built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets. Unfortunately in this day and time most prophets would rather hang out with prophets and most apostles would rather hang out with apostles. I believe in the season to come each of those graces will discover themselves and one another in a very new way.

You can follow my thinking with each category and you will find it to be accurate. The truth is, we really do need one another and we should be using our energy and strength to press into one another.

The church is segregating by race. This is not kingdom.

The church is segregating by gender. This is not kingdom.

The church is segregating by grace. This is not kingdom.

There is an inheritance we have yet to find and it is the inheritance in the saints which comes forth when we learn the power of the unity in the spirit in churches, in ministries and within regions.

We are many tribes but one nation. We are one body and the enemy is scared out of his mind at the idea of us discovering this one simple truth.

We are better together…