Weakness is a gift. Through weakness we understand we need God. As a fallen human being, this should always be our attitude. To apply a scientific term, our need for God as His followers should be our "steady state."
Even when we gain success in some aspect of our character, we can be sure there is room to grow in our ultimate goal of Christ likeness. This is what the perfect law that James mentions is all about.
James says:
But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. James 1:25 (NASB)
We are not to be buried by our failure. We are liberated by the fact that since the law is perfect, God does not expect us to attain to it perfectly. Only Christ could accomplish this. What this does, is that it liberates us from pride. We are all weak. We were saved by Grace. As Christians we are also sustained by Grace. Christ is not a crutch, he is our life support.
We only become better people when we realize it is not up to our own resources to improve ourselves. As a believer, you have the immediate availability of Christ's unlimited resources. He is with you wherever you go, He is with you right now as you read these words. When you blow it, he is right there ready to accept you where you are, in brokenness. As a believer, you do not have to get right with God. He is right there ready to open up His arms and let you lay against His chest for however long you need.
Man's religion says you have to get better to earn the right to dwell in His presence. This is a lie. As a believer, you are already right with God. You may have something you need to fix, huge things you need to fix. Do you think he will then abandon you because of your failure. Heaven forbid. Your failure happened because you were trying to do something out of your own resources. He is the only one who can ultimately help you. Don't turn away from Him. He is ready to receive you into His arms. He now wants you to rely on Him for help. Guilt says you are a failure. God says, "Now you are ready to receive my help. The desire to improve yourself is from me, but let me do it in you. Let me supply the strength, the people to come alongside to help you, and the opportunities to walk it out."
Built in to our walk with God is our perpetual need for Him. We will never attain to the example of our Lord. This is a beautiful thing. In the Word, Paul speaks to the Corinthians and says the following:
Therefore I am well content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 (NASB)
I am strong only because of Jesus and His sacrifice. God is strong in our lives only when we totally, utterly, finally, recognize our need for Him.
This does not mean that we wallow in our failures. This should drive us to the only One who can meet our need to grow.
Success and prosperity can only cover up this need. When we think we have it all together, we are really only masking our great need for God. Pride keeps us from recognizing this need. This is why God hates pride so much.
We do not measure ourselves to others. We measure ourselves to the perfect measuring rod of Christ and His Word. We measure ourselves to what God has called us to to, what God has spoken to our hearts in our need to grow,
When our growth is only from God, how mush more love will we have for others in the same place. We really are all in this same place. Let us all grow up and realize that we are weak.
When I am weak, then I am strong
Thank God for the gift of weakness.
