Lead With A Limp

2 Corinthians 12:9

‘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 weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’

A big theme of lockdown for me was the importance of authenticity. As described yesterday, God brought up a lot that I had to address within myself. The temptation when we become aware of things that aren’t ‘whole’ or ‘perfect’ in our lives is to hide them away or invite a limited few people in and then move on quickly (I don’t like to sit with discomfort for long!). But God calls us on the long journey of healing - he’s committed to our flourishing and this (unfortunately!) isn’t possible overnight. 

We all have influence; therefore, we are all leaders. We are called to carry the light of Jesus into the spheres of influence he has led us to. This leadership can feel like a burden and a pressure at times, particularly when we are journeying on the long road of pursuing holiness and figuring out who we are. It’s important to recognise that, as broken human beings, our representation of Jesus can never be faultless, no matter how hard we try. But the good news for all of us is that we can rest in his grace and know that his ‘power is made perfect in weakness.’ 

By allowing God to do the deep work in us, and by giving ourselves permission to live out of the place of Jesus’ grace, we are able to ‘lead with a limp’ and embrace our flaws. We become increasingly aware of the areas that need work, but don’t allow them to hold us back and so we can confidently live out the gospel mission on the bedrock of his love. In fact, it can often be the areas of greatest weakness that God uses the most.

Prayer – Father, I embrace my weaknesses. I surrender them once again to be a foundation for your grace and power. Use every part of me, even the bits I don’t like, so I can ‘lead with a limp’ and draw people closer to you.