What Does “When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong” Mean? – 2 Corinthians 12:10

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.
2 Corinthians 12:10

Saying, “For when I am weak, then I am strong,” seems contradictory. How can you be both weak and strong at the same time?

Right before that, Paul says he delights in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ’s sake.

What is Paul talking about?

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

A few verses earlier, in 2 Corinthians 12:5-9, Paul says that even though he had good reason to boast because of the revelations from God he was given, he was not going to boast of anything but his weakness.

Why? Because Paul wanted God’s grace and power working through his efforts and for all glory to go to God.

Because of the revelations he was given, God also gave him a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him from becoming proud.

Paul asked God three times to remove the “thorn,” and three times, God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

It hit Paul. His weakness was a good thing. If Paul wanted to bring glory to God, what better way than to let God’s power work through his weakness? No one would then say, “Look what Paul did!” Instead, they would say, “Look what the Lord did!”

My former pastor said that empowered people magnify God. They stay humble and say, “Let them stare at God, not me!”

Maybe you feel weak but want to be strong.

Maybe you find it difficult to wrap your mind around what Paul is saying. It seems that your weakness hinders you.

Being weak may even feel like torment at times. You say to God, “It’s not fair. Why can’t I be strong so I can accomplish more for You? Please take this weakness away.”

But instead God is saying the same thing He said to Paul. “No, my child. My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect or complete in your weakness.” He wants your strength to come from Him and for you to bring Him glory, not yourself.

Let’s consider several verses:

We boast in our afflictions because we know that affliction produces endurance.

And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope (Rom 5:3-4).

Another reason to see your weakness (that feels like an affliction) as a good thing is because of what it does for you.

Paul begins by saying that those of us who have been made right with God by faith have peace because we have believed what Jesus did for us on the cross. We can boast or get excited about the access we have to Him and His grace, which we need for daily living.

Because of God’s grace, we can also rejoice or boast about our problems and trials because of what they produce in us: endurance, character, and hope.

The weakness of God is stronger than the strongest man.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1 Cor 1:25).

The NLT says, “This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”

The context is the gospel, which is God’s plan for salvation.

His plan of salvation is through Christ, who died and rose again to pay the penalty for sin. Some people think His plan is foolish and weak, but it is wiser and stronger than anything the world has to offer.

Furthermore, God’s plan solves the world’s greatest problem, sin. He calls people to believe His plan of salvation so they can have eternal life.

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Christ was crucified in weakness but lives by God’s power.

For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power (2 Cor 13:4).

Christ was crucified as a man with an earthly body. He was also crucified in weakness from man’s point of view.

Various people walked by and jeered, “If you’re the Son of God, come down from that cross.” or “Look, he can save others, but he can’t save himself.”

I believe it took tremendous strength to stay on that cross. What people saw as powerlessness was actually strength, and three days later, He rose again and now lives in power.

The Spirit helps us in our weakness.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Rom 8:26).

You have the Spirit of the Living God in you, and that’s better than having man’s strength.

When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong – Timothy R. Smith

Final Thoughts

I hope you are beginning to understand how having God’s power work through you is better than doing things in your own strength and having people praise you.

The praise of men is a powerful lure, to be sure. But it is also a snare. Freedom comes when you don’t need people’s approval because you care more about pleasing God.

Paul was able to get to that point after God told him that His grace was sufficient.

Since it is the Father’s heart to use your weakness to magnify His power and for His glory, you can rejoice when you are weak, for Christ’s sake.

And you, too, will say along with Paul, “For when I am weak, then I am strong!”

I’m not saying it’s easy, but if you let this truth sink in, it can be transformative.

One of my go-to verses when I feel weak and ill-equipped to do something is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Can you think of a time when you felt weak but depended on God’s power working through you to make you strong? You knew it was God, not you.

What verse or Scripture song reminds you to rely on God’s strength and power when you feel weak?