Reflecting On Pastor Paul David Washer's "Your Weakness Should Drive You To God"

It's easy to fret, "Why am I not perfect?" when a Christian stumbles right?  Here's a short message by Pastor Paul David Washer on the issue of your weakness.  When I think about, here's what Apostle Paul had to say in 2 Corninthians 12:7-10 saying, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Here's one thing you have to recognize.  Christians are not perfect and at the same time they will blossom unto good works by God's grace.  Should they be slack, God chastises them and brings them back on track.  When a Christian starts to focus on doing good works for God, being diligent and running the race, remember pride is a real opponent.  Remember that in Titus 2:14 calls Christians as people zealous unto good works.  There's always the excitement, "Woohoo another day to do good." and the frustration in the Christian life, "Wretched that I am!  Why did I do that?" as Romans 7:14-24 states the Apostle Paul, a godly man who still struggled with sin even after he got saved by God's grace.

So why did God choose to put in the weaknesses instead of granting the prayer, "God remove my weakness."  Remember, the statement of the thorn in the flesh?  You have Paul wishing to get rid of that thorn in the flesh, yet the reply was, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  What happens is that the Apostle Paul saw that God had a purpose for letting the weakness stay.  It's to keep him humble.  I experienced the fact that when I am doing so many good works, I forget that I am doing the good works only for God.  What does God do?  Hebrews 12:5-7 states that chastising is coming when you are disobedient.  A saved person can fall into a state of disobedient and carnality in doing good works when they do it only for recognition whether they notice it or not.  So God allows them to stumble or sin, chastise them and set them on track.  God uses the weakness of the saved man to teach them the basic that is Sola Deo Gloria, Glory to God Alone.