The verse “when I am weak, then I am strong” comes from 2 Corinthians 12:10, where the apostle Paul writes, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This verse has become an important principle for many Christians seeking to understand how God works through human weakness.
In the broader context of 2 Corinthians 12, Paul is describing a “thorn in the flesh” that he begged God to remove from him. This thorn was some unknown affliction that Paul said was given to him to keep him from becoming conceited (2 Corinthians 12:7). Three times Paul pleaded for the thorn to be taken away. But God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Paul concludes from this experience that when he is weak, then he is actually strong. This seems paradoxical at first. But it makes sense when we consider that human weakness provides an opportunity for God’s power to be revealed.
1. God’s strength is shown through human weakness
The principle of “when I am weak, then I am strong” rests on the fact that human weakness highlights God’s glorious strength and sufficiency. On our own, we are finite, frail, and fallible. We do not have the resources or capabilities to face every challenge in life. Sooner or later, our weaknesses will be exposed.
But Christianity teaches that God is almighty, limitless, and all-sufficient. When we turn to Him in our weakness, His infinite strength is available to help us (Isaiah 40:28-31). By working through weak vessels, God gets all the glory for what is accomplished. People can see that the results come not from human strength but from divine empowerment.
2. Strength is found in dependence on God, not self
This verse also teaches that true strength is not found in human ability or self-reliance. Rather, it is found in depending on the Lord. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
When Paul pleaded for his thorn to be removed, God said no. He wanted Paul to rely not on himself but on divine grace. Paul learned that boasting in his own abilities was worthless compared to relying on God (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). His weakness drove him to depend on the Lord rather than himself.
Many Christians can testify that their greatest growth came during trials that forced them to rely more on God. Human weakness teaches dependence on God’s strength. As Martin Luther put it, “God creates out of nothing. Therefore, until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him.”
3. God’s power works through human weakness
This passage also teaches that God chooses to demonstrate His power through weak people. God told Paul, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Lord delights in taking weak vessels and using them to showcase His glorious power (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
One example of this is the apostle Peter. He was an impulsive, brash, and ordinary fisherman. But after being filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter was used to preach powerfully at Pentecost. The religious leaders who heard Peter “were astonished” because they realized he was “unschooled” and “ordinary” (Acts 4:13). God’s power was on display through human weakness.
This continues to be true today. God uses weak but willing vessels to accomplish His divine purposes. Hudson Taylor said: “All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence with them.” When we yield to Him, God can do great things through our weakness.
4. This principle applies to every believer
While 2 Corinthians 12 records Paul’s personal experience, the principle of power perfected in weakness applies to every believer. Just as God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you,” He promises the same for all who turn to Him. No matter what our weakness, God’s gracious power is more than enough.
The Lord uses weak people to fulfill His purposes so that He alone gets the glory. As E.M. Bounds said: “The church is looking for better methods, God is looking for better men. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods but through men. He does not anoint plans, but men.” When we rely on His strength, God can use weak vessels in mighty ways.
5. True growth comes by embracing weakness
Paradoxically, when we become strong in ourselves, we stunt our growth in God’s power. But when we embrace weakness, we open ourselves up to greater measures of His strength and grace.
As John Piper explains: “The path to maturity for a Christian passes through the valley of humility and weakness. Maturity in the Christian life means moving away from self-confidence to Christ-confidence. It means saying no to self-reliance and yes to the promises of Christ.
When Paul boasted in his weaknesses (2 Corinthians 11:30), he was giving evidence of Christian maturity. His weaknesses were the doorway to experiencing more of the power of Christ.”
6. This truth frees us from fear of failure and weakness
This profound biblical principle also frees believers from the fear of failure or facing our weaknesses. We often think appearing strong to others is crucial and beat ourselves up for not being “good enough.” But Scripture says just the opposite is true: boasting in our weakness is the way to experience God’s strength. As Charles Spurgeon said, “Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
When we admit we are weak vessels, we open ourselves up to receive more of the Lord’s strength and sufficiency. We can have confidence that “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
7. This truth produces humility, not pride
This biblical principle does not produce arrogance, but humility. While the world champions the self-sufficient and strong, Christians rejoice in their utter dependence on the Lord. J.I. Packer explains:
“He who glorifies self glorifies sin, but he who glories in the Lord throws all vainglorying into the shade. Glorifying God is the antidote to glorifying self. In ascribing all glory to Him we are sobered before him into humility and self-effacement. This is the twin purpose served by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 when he speaks of glorying in his weaknesses.”
Far from promoting pride, recognizing our weakness highlights our need for God’s grace and produces genuine humility. We realize that any good we accomplish is due solely to His strength, not our own.
8. This truth reshapes how we view “success” and “failure”
Living by this principle also radically alters how we think about success and failure. What the world calls “weakness” is an opportunity for God’s power. What looks like “failure” can serve as a channel for God’s all-sufficient grace.
John MacArthur explains: “The weaker we are, the harder we have to lean on God’s power. True success in ministry is not a matter of what we can do but of what God does in and through us. When we fail and turn to God for strength, He empowers us with His might.”
God often uses our moments of defeat, struggles, and pain to draw us closer to Him. As lifelong missionary Elisabeth Elliot said, “God will never disappoint us… If deep in our hearts we suspect that He does not intend to keep this promise, then the problem is surely in our unwillingness to believe in His unfailing love.”
9. This truth produces endurance, not quick fixes
Embracing our weakness and God’s strength is not a formula for quick deliverance from problems. Paul pleaded for his thorn to be removed, yet God said no. The Lord told Paul, essentially: You do not need your affliction removed. You need My all-sufficient grace.
Likewise, God often chooses not to take away our thorns, but rather to produce endurance in us (James 1:2-4). As John Piper explains: “The point of saying, ‘My power is made perfect in weakness’ is not just to help us cope with suffering, but also to change us by the power so we rely more on God and less on ourselves.”
Living by “when I am weak, then I am strong” produces mature Christ-likeness and sweet dependence on the Lord. It reminds us that His grace is enough to empower us through every trial.
10. This truth allows God to display His glory
At its foundation, this biblical principle displays the glory and greatness of God. He deliberately uses weak instruments to showcase His surpassing power. Charles Spurgeon said it this way: “It is our weakness which brings us to God for strength; it is our poverty which brings us to Him for help.”
When we embrace our weakness and rely on divine strength, God receives all the praise and honor for what is accomplished. His power and presence shine through clearly. The Lord purposefully works through weak vessels so no one can boast before Him (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). As John Piper concludes, “This is good news for us, because God’s purpose to be glorified and our purpose to be satisfied reach their goal where we rely on God’s power in our weakness.”
