Maybe not as much now but I am sure when growing up as a Christian: How did you deal with your weaknesses distracting you? I have just really realized that my weaknesses have really been exploited to distract me from what I actually want to do and should do. In the Bible, it says something like weaknesses are perfected by Christ. Does that mean my weaknesses will go away and I will have only strengths?<\/p>\n\t
“It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago — whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows — such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows — how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong<\/em>” (II Corinthians 12:1-10).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Paul is talking about physical weakness, “a thorn in the flesh.” He isn’t talking about temptation, though it could be used by Satan to lead to temptation. But what Paul notes is that physical weakness can also make us more dependent on God. Such keeps us from becoming complacent or thinking that we’ve done everything by ourselves. “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation<\/em>” (Deuteronomy 32:15).<\/p>\n
Spiritual weakness is a different matter. In matters where we are spiritually weak, we seek to grow stronger. “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious<\/em>” (I Peter 2:1-3).<\/p>\n
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal<\/em>” (II Corinthians 4:16-18).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Growth is not something that ever ends — at least not in this life. Our goal is to become more like Christ. Those in the church are there “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ<\/em>” (Ephesians 4:12-15).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Maybe not as much now but I am sure when growing up as a Christian: How did you deal with your weaknesses distracting you? I have just really realized that my weaknesses have really been exploited to distract me from what I actually want to do and should do. In the Bible, it says…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[185],"class_list":["post-34398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-temptation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":83738,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-pauls-thorn-in-the-flesh-his-bad-eyesight\/","url_meta":{"origin":34398,"position":0},"title":"Was Paul’s thorn in the flesh his bad eyesight?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In II Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul talks about his \"thorn in the flesh,\" which kept him from exalting himself, especially after entering paradise.\u00a0 Does Galatians 4:15 show his thorn in the flesh was his eyes? Also, did he see Paradise or just hear words he couldn't repeat? Answer: \"Boasting is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56948,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-holy-spirits-intercessory-prayer\/","url_meta":{"origin":34398,"position":1},"title":"The Holy Spirit’s Intercessory Prayer","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 16, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Tanner Campbell In this article, we will put Romans 8:26 under a full investigation. The text explains that \"the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18384,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-does-it-mean-that-john-was-in-the-spirit\/","url_meta":{"origin":34398,"position":2},"title":"What does it mean that John was “in the spirit?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 13, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Revelation 1:10, John said that he was in the \"Spirit\" what did he mean? \"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,\" Answer: It means that while he was physically on Patmos, his spirit was elsewhere.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15074,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-satan-know-our-weaknesses\/","url_meta":{"origin":34398,"position":3},"title":"Does Satan know our weaknesses?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Does Satan know our weakness? If so, does he use people in our lives in ways to get us to fall? I mean is he able to influence relatives, friends to cause one to stumble? Is he able to put people in our lives who seem to be genuine\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":94672,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-you-the-wrong-person-for-the-job\/","url_meta":{"origin":34398,"position":4},"title":"Are You the Wrong Person for the Job?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Zeke Flores \"The Moses said to the Lord, 'Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your serant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue'\" (Exodus 4:10). Moses basically tells God, \"You picked the wrong\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49551,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-such-a-hypocrite-i-fell-into-sexual-immorality\/","url_meta":{"origin":34398,"position":5},"title":"I’m such a hypocrite. I fell into sexual immorality","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 3, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I really need help as I feel totally hopeless. I gave my life to Christ in college after God saved me from untimely death. 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