Today I led Bible Study.
I led a group of young adults through a study on 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.
The First Nations Version says, “For the greatness of my power comes to the ones who understand how weak they are.”
As I get further into adulthood, I find myself referencing this verse more and more. I’m not sure if it’s because I need it more, or because I believe it more. Either way, I think it’s a particularly poignant Bible verse for young adults.
This group of 18-35 year olds was a mix of ages and stages of life. Some single, some married. A few with kids, most without. Some working, some students. Our time was filled with laughter, questions, and honesty about our weaknesses, limits, pain, and grief. No matter where we came from, how we grew up, or what our daily life looked like, we were all there to learn to grow into emotionally healthy and spiritually mature adults.
Oh, and did I mention this was in Costa Rica? Imagine a mix of Costa Ricans, Nicaraguans, and Floridians–as diverse of a room as you could get–wondering how to better let God use our weaknesses. Imagine a room of many kinds of people unafraid of their shortcomings, not scared of what limits them!
I taught as best as I could in Spanish, with the help of Google translate and my bilingual friend to supplement my ever-growing vocabulary. Luckily for me, weaknesses are understood in every language and culture. Solidarity and empathy towards them can be felt through facial expressions and body language, not just words.
That’s a good reminder for us in all-English settings, too. Sometimes showing people we hear them and understand as much as we are able to is more important than responding to their words. We don’t need to fully grasp what they’re saying if we can focus more on what they’re feeling. People have a deep desire to be heard; what we really mean when we say this is a deep desire to be understood. To be known. To not be alone.
In a sense, words can be more of a distraction than a help. I think this is why cross-cultural bonds can be so strong even when language isn’t shared. You don’t know what the other person is saying, but you empathize with them anyway. You are bonded by shared feelings without the distraction of the words and their meaning. It’s a heart connection that’s hard to describe.
Today I led Bible Study. I saw how weaknesses are made perfect through God’s power. And I embraced my weakness–my inability to communicate–knowing Holy Spirit transcends language barriers.
