The Power of Humility

Jan 16

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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

What is the Meaning of 2 Corinthians 12:9?

The main themes of 2 Corinthians included the nature of Paul's apostolic authority, the purpose of Christian ministry, the nature of Christian suffering, the importance of reconciliation, and the collection for the poor in Jerusalem.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul is defending his apostolic authority. He writes about a revelation he received from God, in which he was caught up to the third heaven. In order to keep him from becoming conceited by the power of these revelations, God gave him a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble. Paul writes: "Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

In this passage, Paul is emphasizing the importance of humility and the sufficiency of the grace of God. Paul is defending himself and his apostleship by emphasizing that his authority and strength come from God's grace, not from his own abilities. He is emphasizing the importance of humility by acknowledging his own weakness and need for God's grace.

Paul's own experience of weakness and humility is a way to understand the nature of Christian ministry, which is characterized by weakness and suffering, rather than power and success. Paul highlights the importance of trusting in God's grace and power, instead of our own ability.

By accepting our own limitations, we open ourselves up to God's power and grace in a way that allows us to serve others more effectively. In other words, it is when we acknowledge our weakness that we become strong in God. Paul's message is that it is through our human weakness and limitations that God's strength is revealed and that is something to be boastful about.

Application

Here are three specific ways we can apply the truths revealed in 2 Corinthians 12:9:

Recognizing and embracing our own limitations

Instead of trying to hide our limitations, we should acknowledge them and allow them to be a means through which God's grace can work in our lives.

Trusting in God's grace

Another way to apply the lessons of 2 Corinthians 12:9 is to trust in God's grace and rely on it to sustain us in our weaknesses. We should put our faith in God's ability to empower us, rather than in our own abilities.

Boasting in our weaknesses

Lastly, we can apply the lessons of 2 Corinthians 12:9 by being vulnerable with others and boasting in our weaknesses, allowing God's power to be demonstrated through them. Instead of being ashamed of our weaknesses, we can use them as an opportunity to glorify God and to show the world that it is through our human limitations that God's strength is revealed.

Being vulnerable with others is a powerful way to practice humility and point others to Christ. When we are vulnerable with others it gives people permission to reciprocate, sharing their own limitations and weaknesses. Through humility we come to a deeper understanding of God’s grace. Just as Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

An Example of Humility

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, often boasted of his weaknesses. He was a British Christian missionary to China, and one of the most significant figures in the history of Protestant missions.

Taylor, like Paul, recognized and embraced his own weaknesses, and often wrote about how his own limitations and failures were opportunities for God to demonstrate his power and grace. He believed that it was through his weaknesses that God's strength was made perfect, and he often spoke about how he was "not adequate for the task" but that God was. He also believed that boasting in our weaknesses can lead to the power of Christ resting on us.

Taylor's approach to missions was heavily influenced by the idea that true Christian ministry is not about power or status, but about serving others and allowing oneself to be weak in order to be strengthened by God's grace. He is a great example of how 2 Corinthians 12:9 can be applied in practice.

A Prayer for Humility

Dear Lord,

I come to you today with a humble heart, recognizing my own limitations and weaknesses. I know that I am not capable of doing anything on my own, and I am in need of your grace and strength.

I pray that you would grant me the humility to acknowledge my weaknesses, and to rely on your power to sustain me. I trust in your grace to empower me in all that I do, and I know that it is through my weaknesses that your strength is made perfect.

Help me to boast in my weaknesses, and to use them as an opportunity to glorify you and to show the world your strength and power. Let others see your grace through my limitations, that they may come to know and trust in you too.

Thank you for your love and grace, and for the privilege of serving you.

In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.

Nathan | Editor | Bible Lyfe

A graduate of Asbury Seminary, Nathan co-founded Christ Community Church with a fervent mission to serve the poor while making disciples of all nations. In 2017, he started Bridgetown Ventures, a ministry that empowers the marginalized to be architects of change in their own communities. In his transformative book, Storm the Gates, Nathan invites readers to embody the core values essential to fulfilling the Great Commission, serving as a clarion call for compassion, faith, and global discipleship.