Weakness Can be a Setup

Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭15‬-‭16‬, ‭ESV‬‬

And he [Gideon] said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

2 Corinthians 12:9a, ESV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

The Lord's response to Gideon in the passage above makes me smile, and here’s why—God doesn’t try to tell Gideon that what he’s saying isn’t true.

God doesn’t contradict Gideon’s statement about his weakness, which in turn implies that he assents to it. It’s like God is saying, “yes you are, but I…”

God doesn’t say to Gideon, “no you’re not the least in your father’s house, no your clan is not the weakest…” Instead, God says, “but I will be with you.” 

God had already called Gideon a mighty man of valor just before this. So if God would have coddled Gideon’s insecurity with further statements about who Gideon was, it would have made it about Gideon. 

And it wasn’t about Gideon, it was about God. 

Gideon was the vessel for the victory, but God would be the reason for the victory.

How encouraging that is! 

Our power doesn’t lie in us, our power lies in God’s presence. And our weakness is a setup to see that power on display.

God isn’t in denial of our weaknesses, nor does he ask us to be in denial of our own weaknesses. Rather, he usurps our attention to our weaknesses by reminding us of Himself. We are weak—we are the least—but God is with us. And He is strong. And therefore through Him, we are strong. 

Oh Lord, thank you that we don’t have to deny our weaknesses in order to do great things for your kingdom! Please help us to realize that our power doesn’t lie in ourselves, but our power lies in your presence. Amen.