First things first, I love to put verses into context. (I have a confession, I am cheating by using my amazing ESV Study Bible for most of this info!) Get the easy part done: This is Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth. He wrote this letter about a year after 1 Corinthians and about a year before Romans. The central theme, I think, is the relevance of Paul's suffering for his ministry. Chapter twelve particularly, is about how Paul's weaknesses have led him to boast in the Lord and not in himself. He is glad for his weaknesses.
"Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with my weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 9b-10
This was how I got through Cambodia, and this is how I get through life every day. I have seen that I am weak, and as I try and live for God and accomplish His will for my life, I have come to realize that I am just not strong enough to accomplish God sized feats. But there is hope in that! God promises to do it with me!
It's like what it says in Philippians 4, I really, truly know that I can do all things through Him who gives me strength!
When I was in Cambodia, a big one for me was aerobics. (I already wrote a blog on this that I encourage you to read.) A. I am not at all qualified to teach aerobics. B. I got completely exhausted almost immediately. I know I could not have done that without God.
Another one was not anything to do with me, but one of my teammates. Chris (big) had some pretty severe edema in both of his feet that made walking a challenge and also caused extreme pain. Yet somehow, through the true strength and power of our great God, he was able to do everything he needed to do for those twelve days.
I think about the disciples, who everyday give themselves as slaves to the work of God. They are able to do it so fully and so well and so tirelessly because of the Strength and the Rest and the Power and the Love that is our God!
I just think this verse is such a good one to carry around with you every day. It helps remind me of who I am in the grand scheme of things. It helps remind me that all of the seemingly huge things that God has for me are completely possible. It helps remind me that the same God who created the entire universe (Hebrew: Elohim) is the God who walks with me every day now (Hebrew: Yahweh)!
There is so much comfort in having someone to walk with on this journey of life, especially someone as big and amazing as my great God! It reminds me of a poem:
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