I recently took part in a cycling challenge of riding 100 km—64 miles. In addition to the distance, I decided to do the challenge in Breckenridge, Colorado, which sits at over 9,600 feet (2,900 meters) above sea level. One thing I learned from my son, who is an avid cyclist, is that I had to “fuel” myself during the ride, which took five and a half hours. I needed a regular intake of carbohydrates to sustain my strength and energy. Without that added fuel of sports drinks, gels, and chews, it would have been impossible to keep going or finish. I would have never made it. I would have been defeated.
Life can sometimes feel like that kind of challenge—long, draining, and demanding more strength than we have.
When Weakness Looks LIke Defeat
Sometimes the days seem too demanding, and our energy—physical, emotional, or spiritual—runs out. Weakness wears different faces at different times of our lives. Perhaps you are older and thinking, I am no longer strong. Maybe you are questioning whether you have anything left, any purpose, to offer the world or people younger than yourself.
You may be suffering from a debilitating health issue and feel you are unable to offer your family or friends anything. You may feel like a burden instead of a blessing. Or maybe you’re unemployed and struggling to find a job—the voice in your head tells you that you have no worthy skills or use. Or maybe you’re young and wondering what worth you have in a world that measures strength by success.
One of the great apostles in the Bible felt this way, too. And yet, his story gives us one of the most powerful truths about where real strength comes from.
Grace That Sustains, Not Just Saves
Paul asked God to remove his “weakness.” We don’t know what it was specifically, but this is the reply Paul received from God:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Now, here’s the thing that stands out to me—the use of the word grace.
You and I are used to God’s grace being about him saving us by grace. The idea, and truth, that it’s nothing we do to earn our way into God’s favor but everything that he does for us. We think of “grace” as that one-time event where we are saved by God and become a part of his family.
But Paul shows us another side of grace—the kind that sustains us daily when our strength is gone. God’s grace doesn’t just save us; it sustains us. It is ongoing.
Grace doesn’t replace our weakness—it transforms it. God’s power fills the cracks where our strength fails. His grace seeps into our frailty and keeps us going when we can’t see the finish line.
We are reminded that in grace, we have nothing to offer God, but God has everything to offer us. He gives us everything we need. That’s both humbling and freeing. We don’t have to be strong enough—because he already is.
God’s Power Shines in Our Weakness
Paul’s words invite us to stop fighting our frailty and start trusting God to fill it. God’s power shines more brightly in our weak moments, just like it did with Christ on the cross. At the cross, weakness looked like defeat—but it became the greatest victory in history.
We don’t have to be sufficient, efficient, or proficient—just surrendered.
God’s grace is the fuel that keeps you moving forward, one faithful day at a time.
Use this prayer to surrender your weakness and what seems like a hindrance, and then wait to see what God will do.
Like Paul, perhaps then we will even learn to celebrate our weaknesses.
Use this prayer to be a regular intake of fuel, just like on my bike ride. Perhaps you will want to say it every morning for the next week.
I would love to hear how God strengthens you. Leave a comment.
Pray
God, give me Your grace and strength to accept what I cannot change. Give me eyes to see my circumstances differently—to know that in my weakness, You are my strength. Let Your strength shine through me, and let Your power be made perfect in my weakness—today, tomorrow, and for eternity. Amen.
