Today’s Post By: Rae Lynn DeAngelis
At our daughter’s bridal shower, the guests were asked to write a message on a note card with some marriage advice for the couple. Later, each person had an opportunity to read their advice to the expectant bride. Some advice was humorous, some romantic, and others offered practical information, but my sister-in-law’s advice was quite thought provoking.
“A person’s weakness will often be their strengths magnified—the reason you fell in love in the first place.”
How very true! I’m even able to see this in myself. When my strengths are magnified, they become my weakness. For example, I always try to focus on the good in people (one of my strengths); however, sometimes I place so much focus on a person’s positive traits that I overlook vital warning signs that indicate a relationship is no longer healthy for me.
Other examples of strengths becoming weakness may include the following: a person who is really good with finances becomes overly controlling with money, an ambitious person over commits himself to the extent that his life is no longer in balance, or someone who is very nurturing suddenly realizes she is being taken advantage of to the point of risking her own well-being.
We would be wise to look closely at our strengths and see how each might become a potential weakness. Understanding our strengths and weaknesses can better prepare us for life and relationships.
Weaknesses or strengths aside, we have a God who is capable of bringing balance into our lives.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:29)
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26a)
Remember, every strength has a double-sided weakness.
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)
When we are weak—Christ is strong.
