DAY 31 – OCT 16
But he (Christ) 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.
2 Corinthians 12:9–10
In our culture, it is easy to be prideful about our talents and abilities. In our jobs we are often encouraged to “brag about ourselves” to gain prestige and fame and draw attention to our accomplishments. However, Paul reminds us here that Jesus has a counter-cultural assignment for us – to be made weak in the eyes of the world so that his glory is shown through our lives. If we are wondering why we don’t see the Holy Spirit’s power manifested in our lives, we may want to consider if we are relying on Christ’s power or our own.
We Pray: God, we want to see Your power at work in our lives for Your glory. Forgive us for the times we have boasted of ourselves instead of You. Help us remember that we will not succeed in anything of eternal consequences apart from the Holy Spirit’s power (Zechariah 4:6). We pray for Your power to be present in our lives so that the world sees Your mighty works and see us as conduits of Your grace. Thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.