Strength in Weakness – February 19, 2025

“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.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Strength in Weakness

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever gotten a thorn or wood splinter in your finger? Did a parent try to dig it out for you? Ouch! Splinters aren’t a lot of fun and can hurt a lot!

Josie knew her upcoming surgery in the hospital wasn’t going to be fun and even a little painful. Her friends and family showed her as much love as they could. Her classmates wrote her a card before the surgery. Her family spent the night before watching her favorite movie and eating her favorite foods. When she arrived at the hospital some very nice nurses came and made sure she was comfortable and gave her a heated blanket. After surgery, her family took her out for ice-cream, and she got a triple scoop.

Today’s devotion talks about thorns and pain. We don’t know what the apostle Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. Maybe it was something that hurt his body. Maybe it was something that hurt his mind or soul. Regardless, it was a chance for the power of Christ to rest upon him. If imperfect friends and family can show their love to someone who is experiencing difficulty, how much better can a perfect and mighty God show his love and power when someone is experiencing difficulty.

The apostle Paul saw his weakness as strength because it was a chance for the power of Christ to work. He even went so far as to boast in his weakness! When we experience “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions”—bad stuff—may we see them as moments for the power of Christ to rest upon us.

Remember this: when we are weak, then we are strong. Christ-strong.

Closing Prayer:

Gracious Lord, we thank you for being strong when we are weak. Help us to see the power of Christ resting upon us that like Paul, we would even boast in our weakness. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Share a time when you were really hurting. How did people care for you?
• When someone else is hurting, what is something nice you can do for them?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Why did Paul boast about his weakness?
• Name one Bible story where people were scared and weak, but God did something strong.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Every person has a “thorn” that hurts them. What’s yours?
• How can God make you strong in the moment you are weak?