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Barren but Blessed – Trusting God with the Rest
The Power of Weakness
But he said to me, “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
When you are beginning your foster or adoption journey, there is a lot to do. You have a home study, sometimes more than one, visits with caseworkers, classes, trainings and paperwork galore. It prepares you for incessant meetings, phone calls and time lines, but it does not prepare you for all that will come.
When you have a biological child, I’m sure it is similar. You take birthing classes and ask other mothers for advice. It prepares you to some extent, but it really doesn’t touch the reality of the situation you are about to enter.
No one can prepare you for the exhaustion. Whether you bring a newborn home, several babies, or a teenager, there will be sleepless nights and there will be exhaustion.
No one can prepare you for the worry. Whether the child is biological, foster or adopted, there will be worry. Worry over what they’re doing and if they’re doing it at the right age. Worry over what you’re doing and if you’re doing it right at all. There will be worry.
No one can prepare you for the days that you just don’t have it together. The days where you want to cry by 900am for no good reason, or thirty great reasons. No one tells you about the days that you convince yourself of your inability to make a difference, be a mom, or even raise decent human beings.
No one tells you that there will be days where you daydream of life before it was overtaken by little people.
No one tells you about just how hard it is and how often you’ll feel insufficient. Thankfully, His grace is sufficient for us. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, we are reminded that His grace is sufficient for us and His power is made perfect in weakness. No one tells us about all of the moments above and no one wants to be perceived as weak, but in the acceptance of our weakness, God’s power is made perfect.
2 Corinthians 12:9 continues to say that we should boast proudly about our weakness so Christ’s power can rest on us. By proclaiming our weakness and allowing the world to see, and hear us in the aforementioned moments, we are relying on God’s grace and power; we are allowing his power to shine and be made perfect.
Satan does not want us to realize that there is actually strength in weakness. When we’re weak, we allow God’s great strength to enter the forefront. By standing proudly in our weakness, we are proudly standing next to a powerful God.
When someone asks how you’re doing, think twice before answering, “I’m fine” if you’re not. Be honest in your weakness and allow God to powerfully work in your life. You don’t always have to “be fine”. Weakness is not a failure, it’s a fact of life. Allow God’s sufficient grace and power to hold you up in your weakness.
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