We all thrill at stories of scriptural heroes accomplishing great things despite their weakness: doubting Gideon with an army of only three hundred defeating the mighty Midianites, young David overcoming the giant Goliath, humble Mary becoming the mother of God, and an uneducated Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon. Yet, when we face our own challenges, our imperfections overwhelm us, and we wonder, “How can I possibly succeed when I am so inadequate?”
Confidence in God Is a Gift of the Spirit
The Apostle Paul had the same question. He talks about a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7) that was given to him to keep him humble. We don’t know whether this thorn in the flesh was a physical disability, an emotional struggle, or a persistent temptation. But we do know that Paul found it to be an impediment to his ministry. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).
Notice the possessive adjectives in that verse: my grace and my strength. Paul was concerned with his strength and his abilities. The Lord told him, in essence, “What is needed is not your strength, but mine, and that is best manifested in the context of your weakness.”
After three failed pleas to remove this thorn in the flesh, Paul finally understood the principle:
“Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
It is the Lord’s Grace That Turns Weakness into Strength
The Lord taught Moroni the same lesson when he felt inadequate to contribute to the Book of Mormon: “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).
This passage highlights a pair of qualities that help us access the Lord’s strength: faith and humility. We are more likely to reach out in faith when we face a task we can’t handle on our own. And our weakness gives us an opportunity to develop humility. Faith and humility enable us to access the Lord’s strength and wisdom, which is vastly greater than anything any mortal can bring to bear. Paradoxically, our weakness becomes the conduit to God’s omnipotence.
I have seen countless examples of strength in weakness: an inexperienced young woman struggling in her first calling as a teacher manages to invite the Spirit and convey eternal truths. The simple words of a three-year-old child stop a frustrated mother in her tracks. A parent manages unforeseen and overwhelming challenges with wisdom and grace. A refugee marshals her limited resources to give meaningful service. A precious friend living with serious mental illness emanates the light of pure faith. A dying man bears powerful testimony and brings the same spirit we feel in the temple into his hospice room. Paul and Moroni, though infirm and inarticulate, share the light of the gospel with millions. These humble people become heroes in my eyes.
The Lord Strengthens the Faithful and Obedient
When my husband, Andrew, was an elders quorum president, he received a call late on a Sunday night. Due to an infestation, a ward member had 24 hours to move out of her apartment. Andrew reserved a U-Haul truck for the next evening, sent out an emergency email to his quorum members, and went to bed. By Monday afternoon, he had received no responses from his elders. It looked like he would be doing this move on his own.
He told me, “I prayed and asked the Lord, 'How is this going to happen?’ I was immediately flooded with a feeling of intense joy and excitement. It was like the Lord was saying this experience was going to be a gift to me. It left me confused and annoyed- what was there to feel joyful about?”
When Andrew arrived at the sister’s apartment after work, he found that two other people had shown up to help. There were challenges, but they solved them, and the feeling of joy persisted.
Later, he commented, “I was driving to the place where we were dropping off the furniture, watching the sun dropping low in the sky, and I felt so happy! I felt like I was alive again.”
What a miracle! Not only did the Lord bless him with the means to accomplish this impossible-looking task, but He gave him something extra- this new outlook on life that persisted long after that task was accomplished.
The Lord Knows Our Trials and Our Needs
I have seen this process in my own life. I once asked my husband for a blessing of healing and was disappointed to be told, “This trial is going to remain with you.” As I went through the arduous business of learning to live with my infirmity, I- not wholeheartedly or immediately, but eventually- turned to my Father in Heaven and humbly leaned on Him for help. And He did help me- through the service of others, through infusions of emotional strength when I needed it, and through little insights that taught me how to cope just a tiny bit more effectively day by day. Over time, He changed me. My faith grew, my empathy deepened, and my capacities increased.
So, if the Lord calls you to a task that outstrips your abilities, rejoice! He has put you in this position so that, through humility and faith, you can share His strength. As you do so, something marvellous happens. Some of that borrowed strength seeps into your spirit and becomes your own. Gradually, you are transformed. Weak things develop into strengths as you become, step by step, a little more like your Father in Heaven.