Holy Power
“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.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV
Our pursuit, wielding and almost inherent chasing of power have been on my mind much this week: I read news from the U.K. of a church leader and friend who fell from grace after accusations of poor management and treatment of staff volunteers and treatment of parishioners in their care were made public.
It was a reminder that many of us struggle with power and some almost daily. It might be a lack of power and inability to affect changes wished for in the world, families or workplaces. For some who enjoy exerting power over people, this highlights an area of weakness that needs to be monitored constantly.
We use power and authority over people in our jobs, homes, with family and friends and in our community. It is important to keep our power in check and to use it wisely. Some do not reflect on how their actions through power affect others and do not consciously control how they use their voice, actions and treatment of others.
How does the Bible ask us to use power? It asks us to lay down our own and embrace our weaknesses and our inadequacies so that God can work in our lives. This removed our burden of wielding power and allowing God to do His work.
Which is fine in theory, but so hard in practice when God has also given us skills, talents and abilities – how do we embrace our weaknesses then?
My friend’s devastating week has reminded me that in every sphere where we wield power, we must be sure that we have voices around us that are secure enough in our presence to speak the truth to us, we must cultivate deep friendships with other men and women of faith where the facades are down, and they can see us as we truly are and with gentleness, grace and love, remind us who and whose we are.
Boasting of our weakness is not parading our flaws about like trophies, nor is it “humble bragging.” It is not deflection – “Oh that? It was nothing, just the Holy Spirit in me.” It is the choice to be aware of our power, to use it with tenderness, to ensure there are spaces where, and people with whom we can be fully known and allow ourselves to still be loved, and to welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives each day that we would use our God-given gifts, but with humility, and acknowledgment that we have them not to serve ourselves, but to put ourselves into the service of others.
