Boasting

We need to boast in our weaknesses.  When I first heard this (2 Corinthians 12:9) it made me make that face.  You know the expression that depicts complete and utter confusion?  Yah, I had that one.  It wasn't until I started analyzing this statement that I realized the validity of it.  Let me explain.

Boasting requires taking pride in something.  In order to take pride in something, you have to understand its value.  And finding the value in weakness is not an easy feat.  Outside of accepting that perfectionism is not the goal, we have to understand that weakness is a good thing.  You see weakness requires that you look beyond yourself to find completion.  This establishes a healthy sense of understanding that success doesn't happen on your own.  And weakness requires a healthy reliance on others, and in that reliance, others have the opportunity to shine.

Let me give you a literal example.  When my husband's deployment was nearing an end, I moved to Washington to prepare our life so he could relax upon his return.  We had two cars and mine had a dead battery from 7 months of sitting, so I took Marcus'.  His proceeded to blow up (literal smoke out the top of the hood).  I was stranded with no knowledge of cars, a dying phone, and no friends in the immediate area.  This weakness caused me to rely on a tow truck and local repair shop.  My weakness was obvious and required that I rely on someone else to get somewhere.  Did I feel like boasting in my weakness at the time?  No.  But it was here that I grew to gain more independence and the shop gained more pride in its work.  Not only that, but I became desperate for help.  This desperation reminds me of my inability to accomplish life alone and teaches me to be grateful even in the difficulty.

But my focus is self-esteem right?  So how does this pertain?  Boasting in weakness allows for me to take pride in the whole of me.  Even in the darkest corners i need to boast.  The more that I bring to light my weakness, the less weak I will feel.  Because it is weakness in the dark that causes damage.  When we illuminate our weakness and take ownership of it, a sense of freedom abounds.  Not that we have any less weakness, but that we are ok with it.  And being ok with our weakness is stepping stone to taking pride.  And a stepping stone is progress.  

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.'  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." -2 Corinthians 12:9