To be told to “glory in our weakness” doesn’t make sense and sounds quite ludicrous to our “natural man.” Our society teaches us to be strong, get it together, strive for excellence, and be in control of our lives. When we fail to meet these humanistic expectations, we beat ourselves up, feeling disappointed, second-rate, and defeated. Many followers of Christ feel spiritually defeated, because they are afraid they can’t meet some standard they or others have imposed on them.
However, God’s message to our “spiritual man” is to appreciate and be thankful for our weaknesses, because when we are desperate and weak, we recognize our neediness, turn to God, and give Him a chance to help us. Instead of beating ourselves up for being weak, we must learn to embrace our weaknesses. Christ has promised that His favor, loving-kindness, and mercy will help us through our human struggles and allow His divine strength and power to test upon us. “Glorying in weakness” turns our down-and-out, negative thoughts and feelings of defeat and failure into a positive expectation of spiritual growth and victory through God’s grace. Keep in mind that God’s strength and power is most effective in our lives when we are weak and looking to Him for help.
“But He said to me, My grace [My favor and loving-kindness and mercy] is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]: for My strength and power are make perfect [fulfilled and completed] and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ [the Messiah] may rest [yes may pitch a tent over and dwell]upon me! For when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong [able, powerful in divine strength]” (2Corinthians 12:9, 10b).
