Ministry Born Out of Brokenness
Jan Dravecky, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)
During my season of brokenness, I can’t tell you the number of times that I begged for God to remove my weakness. I remember crying out in my prayers to Him – “How can I possibly serve you and minister to others in my weakness? What good can come from this?”
I remember how embarrassed I was for my weakened state – I apologized to everyone. I was so ashamed that I had failed and had become so useless for the kingdom of God. I felt worthless.
But I was so wrong. First of all, my worth is not found in what I do for God. My worth is in the truth that I am His beloved child – priceless – that will never change! But to my surprise God showed me that my value – my usefulness for the kingdom – my ministry to others – was not born out of my strengths and successes but out of my failures and weaknesses. Wow!
I was encouraged when I read what Francios Fenelon, the Archbishop of Cambrai, France, wrote to the court of King Louis the Fourteenth almost five hundred years ago:
“It is amazing how strong we can become when we begin to realize what weaklings we are. It is in weakness that we can admit our mistakes and correct ourselves by confessing them. It is in weakness that our minds are open to enlightenment from others. It is in weakness that we are authoritative in nothing and say the most clear-cut things with simplicity and consideration for others. In weakness, we do not object to being criticized and we easily submit to censor. At the same time we criticize no one without absolute necessity. We give advice only to those who desire it and even then we speak with love and without being dogmatic. We speak from a desire to help, rather than a desire to create a reputation for wisdom.” Francois Fenelon – Let Go
I accepted my weakness and I was humbled by my powerlessness, yet I rejoiced in my new understanding of how the power of Christ could now work through me in a much more powerful way through my brokenness rather than my own personal strength.
The late Michael Yaconelli, the co-founder of Youth Specialties, validated my experience when after a retreat at the L’Arche community, Michael shared:
“Finally I accepted my brokenness… I knew I was a sinner. I knew I continually disappointed God, but I could never accept that part of me. It was a part of me that embarrassed me. I continually felt the need to apologize, to run from my weakness, to deny who I was and concentrate on what I should be …I came to see that it was in my brokenness, in my powerlessness, in my weakness that Jesus was made strong. It was in the acceptance of my lack of faith that God could give me faith. It was in the embracing of my brokenness that I could identify with others’ brokenness. It was my role to identify with others’ pain, not relieve it. Ministry was sharing, not dominating; understanding, not theologizing; caring, not fixing.” Michael Yaconelli (Excerpt from Abba’s Child)
There is true freedom for me knowing that I don’t have to relieve, dominate, theologize or fix anyone else’s pain in order to minister and encourage them. But it is validating one’s pain by identifying, sharing, understanding and caring where true ministry and encouragement through the power of the Holy Spirit takes place.
So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT)
On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky
For more inspiration from Jan Dravecky visit her blog at Endurance.org or listen to the MARKINC Help & Hope podcast: Blow Away the Dark Clouds, a conversation with Jan. and her husband's Help & Hope podcast: Finding Purpose When You Lose Your Identity a conversation with Dave Drasvecky.
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Sharon W. Betters is the author of Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, co-author of Treasures of Faith. and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace, Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture. She is Director of Resource Development and co-founder of MARKINC.org, a non-profit organization that offers help and hope to hurting people. Sharon enjoys quality time with her husband, children, fourteen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.