Boasting in Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Notice how Paul ends this passage. He is not only content with weaknesses, but he boasts in them!

Well, one of my great weaknesses is my utter lack of relational skills. I'm usually timid...or overbearing, when I'm trying to compensate for my timidity. I usually don't know what to do in most social contexts. I don't even know how to introduce myself to someone, strike up a conversation, let alone sustain a meaningful conversation (except for people whom I know well). When I'm going to talk in front of other people, my adrenaline rushes (even though I'm not really scared), and I can feel my jugular pulsate like the thumping of helicopter rotor blades.

However, something unique happened today at the gym. After I had finished working out, the Holy Spirit pointed out a certain guy in the gym and commanded me to give him a book I had just finished reading. At first, I was confounded. Getting clear direction like that from the Holy Spirit happens a good bit, so I shouldn't be so surprised, but I had to think about it for a few seconds. Then, I walked up to him, introduced myself and began conversing with him. I directed the conversation toward the idea of endurance (not hard in a gym), and then reading, and then what types of books he enjoyed, and having confirmed that he enjoyed such books, offered it to him. (At this point, we had been talking for five or ten minutes.) He accepted it and thanked me. Awhile later, I met him again in the locker room, and he said that he looked forward to reading it and then discussing it with me.

So, what happened?

As I've said, I have horrible relational skills. However, God gave me a task and filled me with the Holy Spirit to accomplish it. Not only was I an adequate conversationalist, I initiated and sustained an exceptionally interesting and meaningful conversation.

After my conversation with this guy, I initiated and sustained two more conversations in the steam room with two other guys. These conversations were more preevangelism than anything else, but they were equally meaningfully and gave me a lot to think about. But, again, remember that I have horrible relational skills! Yet, I was able to sustain three purposeful conversations with unbelievers who didn't hate me after I left.

Like Paul, I will boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. For, what a delight it is that Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24) is with me!