Weaknesses
None of us like to be weak. Nevertheless, in life and in church ministry, we are often confronted with weaknesses. Perhaps there are certain tasks which are beyond our ability to accomplish; or needs we cannot meet; or people whom we do not know how to love. Several weeks ago, I attended a workshop on the theme of weaknesses. The definition of weakness is this – the lack of sufficient strength or capability to reach a given standard or to control a situation. If we are honest with ourselves, we cannot help but admit that we are weak in many different circumstances, which can be discouraging. Yet, the speaker at the workshop gave us an excellent reminder: How can we glorify God in the midst of our weaknesses?
In 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10, Paul testified, “Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The sermon series on the book of Acts has just ended. In the eyes of many, Paul is considered to be a great apostle and an unsurmountable exemplar of a model Christian. Yet Paul’s secret lies in taking pride in his weaknesses. When we understand our weaknesses more, we would in turn learn how to rely on Christ and experience God’s abundant blessings and grace. God knows we are weak, but the problem is we do not always know. Recently, I read a sharing by a missionary. Both he and his wife were outstanding professionals, and they were willing to put their work aside and became missionaries in a foreign land to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the locals. However, in the mission field, they often found themselves on the receiving end from the locals because of the challenges of different language and cultural background. They became aware of their own weaknesses, but miraculously, their weaknesses in fact helped others to come to know the Lord. The locals were more willing to get to know them and they witnessed how the missionary couple relied on Christ in their weaknesses with joy and hope. This in fact is the essence of mission – that others can see Christ in us.
As Christians, we can view weaknesses in a different light. If we are willing to bring our weaknesses to the Lord and have the courage to bare them in front of others and let God do His work through our weaknesses, then perhaps this is the way we can glorify Him in our lives.
軟弱
我們不喜歡軟弱。然而，在生活中，在教會的事工裡，我們常常面對許多軟弱。發現有些事情我們做不了，有些需要我們無法解決，或是有些人我們不知道怎麼去愛。數週前，我參加了一個工作坊，主題是關於軟弱。軟弱的定義是缺乏足夠的力量或能力達到一定的標準或控制某一種局面。若誠實地捫心自問，我們都會在不同的方面發現自己的軟弱，這也許是一件讓人覺得沮喪的事。然而，工作坊的講員給了一個很好的提醒：如何在軟弱中榮耀神？
保羅在哥林多後書12:9b-10節說，「所以，我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱，好叫基督的能力覆庇我。我為基督的緣故，就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦為可喜樂的，因我什麼時候軟弱，什麼時候就剛強了。”
使徒行傳的講道系列剛結束，保羅在大多數人的眼中是一個偉大的使徒，或是難以企及的基督徒榜樣。然而，保羅的秘訣卻是誇他的軟弱。我想，越是了解自己軟弱，越懂得學習怎麼去依靠基督，因此可以經歷許多來自神的祝福和恩典。神知道我們是軟弱的，問題是我們自己常常不知道。最近，我看到一份宣教士的分享，他和太太本來都是優秀的專業人士，願意放下自己的工作，前往異國宣教，幫助當地人認識耶穌。但在宣教工場，因為不同語言和文化背景的挑戰，他們自己反而變成常常需要依賴別人幫助的人，這讓他們意識到自己的軟弱。奇妙的是，他們的軟弱反而幫助了別人，因為大家更樂意接近他們，看他們如何在軟弱中依靠基督，並且充滿喜樂和盼望。這才是宣教的本質，讓人透過我們看見基督。
身為基督徒，對於軟弱可以有不同的眼光，若我們願意把軟弱帶到神的面前，也勇敢袒露在人的面前，讓神透過我們的軟弱來工作，或許，這就是神要在我們身上榮耀祂的方式。
