Tuesday, November 3, 2015

18 Truths Celebrating the Power of Strength In Weakness

GOD is a paradoxical power for life in so many ways. Those who hate God cannot stand the idea that God makes the truth operate in upside down, or apparently ridiculous, ways. They refute such things and are never blessed. But those who are open to God will be open to experiencing things like the unequivocal strength in acknowledging weakness.
1.     Acknowledging weakness feels humiliating, until we realise the courage it takes and gives us back. There’s strength in acknowledging weakness.
2.     God blesses the acknowledgement of weakness, as pride is humbled in the acknowledgement of truth. And where there’s truth acknowledged, there’s peace.
3.     God blesses the acknowledgement of weakness as others see and are inspired by our courageous choosing for truth. Much grace is accorded.
4.     Strength is in the truth, and true weakness is in ideas that don’t hold up to truth. Human weakness is never truer in the sight of a life and God that reveals our pitiful strength as weakness. Acknowledging weakness when it’s the truth is blessed.
5.     There’s power in the acknowledgement of weakness, but confess it in the company of mature, caring people who see the strength in such truth. Otherwise we may face the indignity of a fool enjoying ridicule at our expense. What a privilege it is for the caring and mature to celebrate the truth with the truthful.
6.     Power is paradoxical. Pride tells us to fabricate power based in unconsciousness or imagination, but true power is in the truth. Humility is true power in the truth.
7.     Those humble enough to acknowledge their weakness never glory in the humiliation of others. That’s a real strength. Humility is considered weakness by those strong in their own strength. But sooner or later they end up with egg on their face. But the humble are not amused at others’ misfortune, not even a fool’s.
8.     The humble have no problem calling the truth as it is. For them the truth, reality, is both dependable and freeing. If it’s acknowledging weakness they’ve got plenty of courage to dignify such a declaration. They know it’s a blessing to obey God in subjugating their pride.
9.     The humble know full well the presence of their pride. They know it’s weakness presenting as a strength. Only as they abide in truth do they recognise the strength in honouring the truth.
10. Those who are happy to tell the truth, even as it exposes them in their vulnerability, ply courage, and cannot be humiliated by the truth. Only the proud are humiliated by the truth. When the truth is no longer a threat nothing can defeat that person.
11. Power for life rests in the truth that in weakness there is strength. Strength is shown when weakness is acknowledged, and there’s power in resting in the truth.
12. The strength available in being honest in our weakness is a dignifying strength. It’s a strength to be celebrated. It’s a reliable strength that never lets us down.
13. Those strong in their weakness find that in their weakness is the only strength to be relied on. Strength in weakness is God’s immovable strength.
14. Confidence is an acquisition of those founded and grounded in God’s truth. This is the place of acceptance for what cannot be changed, where courage changes what it can, and wisdom knows the difference. Confidence is the balancing of all three truths in unison.
15. The weak are strong, because they’re not afraid of their weakness. They’re strong because they’re weak.
16. Those who can acknowledge their strength lies in their weakness are able to celebrate the very things that are apparently against them. See how nothing is against God’s disciple?
17. A celebration of fellowship is possible when guards are down and where glory is made of true weakness. There God is central and celebrated and much glory goes to his name.
18. Is there any better life than being oneself in the company of others; of being allowed to be our real selves? No. This is the halcyon state of the real life in community. It is God’s will, no less.
© 2015 Steve Wickham.

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