Hello and good day to those assembled from all walks of life. I, Darin Kent, greet you in the magnanimous name of Jesus The Christ.
Today, I want to share one of Paul’s books with the church of Corinth. Let’s begin reading 2 Corinthians 6 - 10. I’ll be reading from the New International Version.
It begins like this:
6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, seven or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times, I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 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 about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I’ve been weak before, and I’ll be weak again. It’s going to happen. It’s inevitable. It’s destined, and unlike how I may have looked at being weak when I was younger, over the years, being weak is not just destined but desired.
See, the Apostle Paul was the man. And he knew he was the man. And if this moment in his ministry had not happened, he may have let it get the best of him. He was receiving Revelations directly from God and was to relay the message to the people. He was one of Jesus' most important, most famous messengers, and if he allowed himself, he could easily get big-headed and puffed up on his exclusivity to Christ. He could have easily begun to say, “You ain’t hearing like I’m hearing,” or “You don’t know God like I know him.”
Now, I ain’t gonna front this is where I begin to have this story resonate with my own story on a deeper level. I absolutely can relate to Paul in some ways. I have now worked in a unique field of communications, video, and media that doesn’t do a lot for African Americans in leadership. Early on in my ministry, I distinctly remember being so arrogant as to think that the way God was speaking to me through visuals was the best, correct, dare I say, the ONLY way to receive God. So, I struggled with leadership on the way to share their messages with the accentuation of audio and video at every turn. I even built myself a reputation of being gifted but hard to deal with.
But thank God for another chance at the ministry. Like Paul, I was humbled on numerous occasions, sometimes by my own internal battles and other times by outside forces. In the Bible, it says, “God gave Paul a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet or trouble him.” That thorn and my “thorns” were sent for the same purpose. To check our pride. So, we don’t do any boasting unless it’s to boast about our weaknesses.
You see, I began to listen more and talk less. I stopped being so combative. I stopped thinking my way was the only way and instead came from the mindset that the way God revealed to me may only be a PART of the way. It took some time, and trust me, I still relapse from time to time, but I can proudly say that I have conquered that lesson from Christ. God has given me a vision to share with others, not to force it down people's throats.
I encourage you today, Brothers and Sisters, to do what Paul, Darin, and countless other ministers and leaders of the gospel now do….and that is to DELIGHT in your shortcomings because that lets you know that God is still working in you and through you. Enjoy the moments when you are feeling “less than,” “indecisive,” or simply lost, and when you do, Call on HIS NAME. That’s when God does his THING. He needs to be used just like that. Call on him when you can’t figure it out, and he’ll step in and work it out BETTER than you could have ever done yourself. If you want better, shout BETTER.
When we are anxious, he is our calm.
When we are defeated, he is our victor.
When we are confused, he is our clarity.
When we are weak, HE is our strength.
So, let the age-old oxymoron still stand true to this day.
Say it with me: When I am weak, then I am strong.
In Jesus Name, AMEN.
God bless you, my sisters and brothers.
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