Called, Not Condemned: God’s Power in Your Weakness
No past mistakes or imperfections can disqualify you from God’s plan.
“His power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)
Paul was a Pharisee with a reputation for persecuting Christians until a miraculous encounter with Jesus convicted and converted him, changing the course of his life from then on! His testimony is what makes the declaration of 2 Corinthians so profound.
Paul’s Testimony of Mercy and Transformation
In 1 Timothy 1:15–16 Paul writes, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life” (ESV).
When we surrender our shortcomings and circumstances, we make way for God to be glorified.
God has a history of picking unqualified people to do impossible things because it points to His perfect power—Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Joseph, Jesus’ disciples. This pattern didn’t end with the book of Revelation.
Paul’s Reminder to the Church
Paul recognized that this testimony wasn’t just for him, but for us too. He wrote to his friends at the church of Corinth with this very encouragement:
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27, ESV)
His Power Made Perfect
Remember, 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “His power is made perfect in weakness,”
not “despite weakness.”
When God uses ordinary people to do great things, He gets all the glory.
Weakness Is Not Disqualification
Your past and imperfections don’t disqualify you from being impactful for the kingdom of heaven. It’s the redemptive power of Jesus at work through our humanity that becomes a megaphone, amplifying the miraculous!
Boast in Weakness
Rather than believing lies of the enemy and allowing ourselves to be held back by our weakness, we should take a page from Paul’s book—humbly but boldly boasting all the more in our weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)
A Story of Redemption
Our story is a story of redemption because God’s story is a story of redemption! You only need to surrender.
Meet the Author
Lauren Carter
Lauren is a lifelong lover and follower of Jesus with a passion to point people to Him in all she does. Lauren lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, their two boys, and new baby girl.
As a church women’s ministry leader turned stay-at-home-mom with a biblical studies degree, Lauren loves to encourage women to walk closely with the Lord and boldly in the ministries He’s given them - inside their own homes and beyond!
Connect with here on Instagram here.
