The Good Gift of Weakness

“I’m such a weak mom!” If that’s how you feel, I have good news for you—you’re heading in the right direction! Here’s why:

“I am Weak” Is a True Statement. 

It’s a true statement because all humans are weak in many ways—and all mothers are humans!

God made us weak. In Genesis 1–2, humans depend on God for everything we are, have, and need. God called that design "very good!" Being a creature (and not the Creator), every parent is limited in time, energy, knowledge, and capacity. Being weak doesn't mean you're a terrible mom.

Sin introduced new weaknesses in a cursed world. In Genesis 3, we see how sin disrupts our relationships with God and our neighbors. Our depraved nature is deluded with self-sufficiency. A hostile environment brings frustrating work. Our bodies decay and die. Those consequential weaknesses manifest themselves in our parenting. Child-raising is painful labor. We face metaphorical thorns and thistles that grow faster than we can pull them. We and our children sin. We’re proud and self-sufficient, refusing to ask God and others for help. We and our children suffer illness in body and mind.

We're also weak when compared to others. We discover these relative weaknesses when we look around and see other parents accomplishing things we wish we could. Sin seizes these as opportunities for guilt, shame, and hopelessness.

“I am Weak” Is a Good Confession. 

It's one thing for a statement to be true. It's another thing to confess it, acknowledging and declaring the truth, especially about ourselves. But, unless we confess we are weak, we will not ask for help. 

Confessing weakness is an often challenging and frightening prospect. It exposes us to the possibility of mocking, shame, and criticism. Where do we find the hope to confess our weakness?

The Bible says, "While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6, ESV). The gospel is good news for the weak. Helpless, powerless, debilitated, incapacitated, feeble, ineffectual people are the only kind of people that God saves.

Being sinful, we can't present a life of righteousness to God, nor can we atone for our sins. To "help" us, Christ "had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:16-17, CSB). 

Christ became like you in every way to help you! In his incarnation, he experienced the fullness of human weakness (but without sinning). He knew the frustration of life in this broken world. He felt the weakness of a human body, sickness, and even death. He did this so he could die for your sin and present his righteousness to God on your behalf. Because your high priest has atoned for your sin, there is no reason to fear confessing your weakness to God. 

You can confess your sinful weakness without fear of condemnation. Christ has died for it, so no condemnation remains![1] 

You can confess your weakness without fear of indifference. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus understands your weakness because he lived it. When you bring your weakness to Christ, he responds with empathy. He feels what it's like to be you because he's been there. 

Finally, you can confess your weakness without fear of dismissal. Jesus can help you—“since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted" (Hebrews 2:18). Jesus is not only able to help in your weakness, he's willing: "Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

“I am Weak” Is the Starting (and Staying) Place for Growth. 

As mentioned, we won’t seek help unless we confess we need help—and we need God's help to be good parents! Thus, "I'm weak!" is the starting place for growth. 

But we should beware of a subtle lie that so often sneaks in at this point. We believe confessing our weakness will end our weakness. There’s a subtle idolatry that may be at play in this thinking. Instead of wanting God's power displayed, we want to be powerful in ourselves. Instead of showcasing Christ's strength, we want to be strong in ourselves. That is, we want to be independent, free from needing help, self-sufficient. Isn't this what our first parents sought in grasping the forbidden fruit? They didn't want to depend on God; they wanted to be God.

Confessing our weakness and seeking Christ's help does not mean our weakness will end. Paul illustrated this truth in 2 Corinthians 12. A "thorn in the flesh" severely afflicted him so that he "pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave" (v. 7-8). But Christ told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness" (v. 9a). Jesus called the thorn a “weakness.” He refused to remove the weakness to offer something better—his grace. As parents, are we willing to imitate Paul? "Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses . . . for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 9b–10).

“I am Weak” Is the Path to Worship. 

Weakness is frustrating unless we grasp how God uses it to produce worship. Most of the people God calls to himself are weak “from a human perspective” (1 Corinthians 1:26). “God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (v. 27). He does this “so that no one may boast in his presence” (v. 29). In this way, God shows that those he uses are not the source of power—Christ is everything (v. 30). Only one response remains—"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (v. 31).

God chooses weak people to be parents so that we can’t take credit when he does great things in the lives of our kids. It's so obvious it wasn't us that we can only boast in him. And our kids can only boast in him. And the world can only boast in him. Boasting in our weakness is the first step to giving God all the glory. Weakness is the pathway to worship.

The next time you lament your weakness, try exclaiming instead, "I'm weak—and I will gladly boast about it, so that Christ's power may reside in me! For when I am a weak mom, then I am strong! Hallelujah!"

[1] John 5:24; Romans 8:1-4