“God’s power is different: God’s power is made perfect through weakness.”

Throughout Jesus’ gospels, we find that the whole point of Jesus’ ministry was centred around the poor, the marginalised. According to Mark’s account, Jesus himself is the message, which is why He gives His disciples ‘authority’ before sending them out. As he sends them out, he doesn’t give them a list of sermon points but instead tells them how to be in the world – that is, to live with a radical trust in God.

Then, when he tells them to go on the road, he instructs them to take only his authority with them. They are to carry no food, no bag, no money in their belts, no closed shoes, and no change of clothing. They are to have no weapon beyond a walking stick and no status. Instead, they should rely on other people to feed, clothe, and house them as they go about proclaiming the gospel, teaching, and healing.

Furthermore, Jesus warns them that they will be rejected. It’s not surprising that Jesus had already been rejected by his family, by the religious leaders, by the scribes, by strangers across the sea, and most recently by people in his hometown. Rejection is an inevitable part of the journey for those who follow in Jesus’ footsteps. And just in case there is any doubt, Jesus tells his disciples what to do when it happens: Shake the dust off your feet and keep walking.

Facing Rejection

Rejection is a painful emotion for anyone. When something we do is ignored or rejected, especially when it’s something that we value, the feelings run even deeper. Jesus knew this feeling well because He experienced rejection, even from those closest to Him. Jesus tells His disciples not to be overwhelmed by rejection. Instead, he encourages them to acknowledge the emotion, to move on, and to get back on their feet, placing their trust in God. Rejection is inevitable, but we can choose our response to it. Jesus tells us to shake the dust off our feet and get back on our feet. This isn’t just a physical action; it means coming out of the cave of rejection in our minds and getting back to being faithful in our lives. God will direct our steps.

Paul’s Journey: from Persecutor to Apostle

Paul’s story offers another perspective. Once he was a rejector of Jesus and a persecutor of Jesus’ followers, his encounter with Jesus led to a radical transformation. He became an apostle, preaching to the Gentiles and founding churches, including the Corinthian church. Yet, Paul, too, faced rejection. In Corinth, his authority was questioned, and the gospel he preached was in danger of distortion. Eventually, the people in Corinth began to shake their trust in him, and they began to listen to his opponents. Paul wrote his second letter to them with great concern.

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul speaks of a thorn in his flesh. We are not sure what this thorn was, but whatever it was, it must have been painful, so he confesses that he begged God not once but three times to take it away. Instead, God reminds him and reassures him: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness’. This grace, this divine favour, is not just a comforting balm for our wounds but a transformative force that can turn our weaknesses into strengths.

How can grace be sufficient for you when you are sick, and how can power be made perfect in weakness? Is this the self-justification of the weak? Being sick is not a good thing in itself; poverty is not a good thing in itself; these are all things that bring down the quality of human life. The Christian faith is not self-pity, it’s not cynicism, it’s not praising poverty, it’s not suffering aesthetics. The Christian faith is about the power and abundance of living. Paul had a thorn in the flesh, but it didn’t deter him from trusting God; it didn’t make him proud; it made him more reliant on God; in his weakness, there was strength.

The sufficiency of grace. That grace was enough for Paul, and that grace is more than enough for us. That is the lesson of his thorn in the flesh. It’s a comforting reminder that no matter how weak or rejected we may feel, God’s grace is always there, ready to lift us up and strengthen us.

Dear friends, throughout history, God has shown us time and again that His power is perfected in weakness. This theme runs from the Old Testament through to the New, and it’s as relevant for us today as it was for our spiritual ancestors.

Remember Gideon’s story? When God called him to lead Israel against the Midianites, Gideon felt weak and unprepared. He started with an army of 32,000 men. But God said, “The people are too many. Israel might boast, saying, ‘My hand has saved me.'” So they sent 22,000 home. Still too many, God said. Finally, God reduced the army to just 300 men. Why? So Gideon would know beyond doubt that it was God’s strength, not human might, that would win the day.

This principle of God using the weak to showcase His strength continues throughout Scripture. We see it in David confronting Goliath, in Jesus choosing ordinary fishermen as his disciples, and in Paul, the self-proclaimed “least of the apostles,” becoming a powerful voice for the Gospel.

Reality of Grace

Where does this grace come from? It flows from Christ’s cross – the ultimate example of God’s power made perfect in weakness. On the cross, Jesus appeared at His weakest point, humanly speaking, yet it was there that He achieved the greatest triumph over sin and death. Each Sunday, we come before God, not boasting of our triumphs but as sinners confessing our failures, bringing our weaknesses before Him. And in the words of forgiveness, Christ’s power dwells among us.

Let’s learn to be content with our weaknesses, even boast in them, as Paul did. May we come to a place where we can truly say, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” For it’s in our moments of greatest vulnerability that we often experience God’s grace most powerfully. I challenge you this week: Instead of hiding your weaknesses or being ashamed of them, bring them before God. Let His strength shine through your vulnerabilities. Share with a trusted friend how God has worked through your weak moments. As you do, you’ll discover a new kind of strength – not one of your own making, but the incredible power of God’s grace working in and through you.