Bible Studies

---

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." II Cor. 12:9-10

If you have spent much time in the company of fellow believers you are sure to have heard the appellation, 'Strong Christian:' “Oh, she/he’s awesome; she/he’s one of the strongest Christians I have ever known!” The phrase made you pause in worshipful silence before the one spoken of in such glowing terms. Or perhaps, depending on where you were at the time on your spiritual growth scale, your reaction may have been more dubious.

If so you probably camouflaged the negative mutterings inside you, articulating your response in positive tones. The touch of envy, doubt, cynicism; or even dejection, if you sensed thinly veiled comparisons were being drawn you may have stuffed down. But whatever the taste left on your tongue, you knew the comment was intended as enthusiastic endorsement for the designated party.

Along with about 30 other women I am inviting God to convince me that His design is surprisingly devoid of these kinds of pontifications on human strength, quite opposed to what many have assumed as truth regarding spiritual health. “I have to take this study again,” I told my friends, encouraging them to participate in a women’s Bible study currently offered at our church. The title, “Confident Weakness,” employing 2 Cor. 12: 9-10 as a foundational scripture clarifies as the study unfolds.

In the fall of 2006 I took the course as a night class. Now for twelve more weeks I plan to have the world’s ideals turn on their ear for me. This ‘semester’ a Wednesday morning group at Hillside Church in Bulverde, Texas will put our heads together and meditate on God’s disturbing ways. I would like to expand that gathering by offering my Christian brothers and sisters here at Faithwriters a share in the treasures we glean as we go along - mainly my own as I take a second ride.

But first a word of caution echoed from our teacher and author of the study, Belinda Dunn, “If you are a strong Christian sans any weakness then this study is not for you.” Also be apprised it is not one of your mass-produced, glamorous, or graphically dramatized productions, but rather one squeezed out of a woman’s stagger through her own spiritual desert.

Since I have a morbid fear of plagiarizing, I have named my Faithwriters’ offering from synonyms, “Hopeful Frailty.” It could also be “Optimistic Infirmity,” “Assured Fragility,” or any number of other approximate oxymorons. I will designate credit under the following categories: Hers, indicating actual quotes from Belinda’s written study, or perceptions she shares during lecture time. Mine, meaning any of my own personal insights as I respond to study notes. Ours, from classmates but this is iffy and would only be used if they are general observations. Nothing of a personal nature will be commented upon without permission and then actual names will not be used.

The study was written during real-time spent in a spiritual Sahara and for that reason rings true; it is honest and authentic. I love it because it jogs me out of my rut, encouraging me to change certain habits of thinking about spiritual matters to align truer to my Creator’s. I trust it because of it’s scriptural foundation; delight in it because it reverberates in me – a fellow sojourner - and dovetails with the ancient heroes of the faith in their struggles with God. Like us they had to learn, sometimes through rasping experience, it was really God the Hero all along.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE