When Weakness Becomes Testimony

A Blessing from Jan Elkins

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

In the Name of Jesus Christ,
I bless you with His word to you:

My grace is always more than enough for you.
It is continuously sufficient—it is all you need.
My power finds its full expression
in your weakness—I rest upon you,
overshadow you, and shelter you.

So like Paul, we can now say:
I am not defeated by my weakness.
I am not defeated when dismayed by delay.
When wounded by disappointment, loss,
accidents, bad breaks, or abuse.
When I am resisted, opposed, mistreated.

When Satan tries to get me down,
in fact, he only pushes me to my knees.
Now there is no danger of walking around
thinking I can depend on myself.
So, I refuse to boast unless
it concerns my weaknesses
lest others think higher of me
than what I demonstrate with my life
and with my words.

Now I can quit focusing on my handicaps.
I can take my limitations in stride
and begin appreciating the gift of God’s
strength moving in on my weakness.
The weaker I get, the stronger I become.
When I am weak, I will be grateful
because I will sense more deeply
God’s mighty power living in me.

In the Name of Jesus Christ,
I bless you with increases of His
divine nature being formed in you
and a decrease of the old you—
your old ways, beliefs, thoughts,
and actions.
Less of you, the stronger you become.
I bless you with more of Him, more love,
and more power.

In a weakened state, we don’t think
the constant reminders of our handicaps
or limitations as a gift.
But may you take limitations in stride.

Jesus delights to use your imperfect
circumstances, your imperfect relationships,
your areas of immaturity as the clay
where He does His best work.

More precious than pure gold,
He joins His glory to your earthen vessel.
He highlights the cracks as beautiful scars.
He treats breakage as a significant part
of your life by making you stronger
and more unique.
He creates beauty and resilience.

May His weighty glory-presence infuse and fill
the hairline crack of loneliness in your heart,
the pit of despair in your stomach,
the dark, cold void or paralyzed numbness in your soul.

Your scars become your testimony
of God’s mercy and grace.
He purifies and refines you in the fire
of His presence.
He reclaims your inheritance.

I bless you with divine reversals.
May the fragrance of His Spirit—
His oneness with you,
in communion together with you—
be diffused into every part of your being.
Your weakness has become a portal
to His power