Midweek Peace: unplugging from the world’s noise and plugging into God’s peace.

Ever feel like you're running on empty? Like the demands of life outweigh your strength and the midweek slump has you questioning if you're enough? That feeling of weakness might just be your greatest opportunity.

We dive deep into a paradoxical truth that changes everything: God's strength shows up most powerfully in our moments of greatest weakness. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12:9, we explore how the Apostle Paul—a man who endured shipwrecks, imprisonment, and relentless hardship—discovered that his limitations weren't obstacles but invitations for divine power to work through him. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," God told him, a promise that echoes through the centuries to reach us today.

Through powerful historical examples like Corrie ten Boom finding hope in concentration camps, Joni Eareckson Tada discovering purpose after paralysis, and modern testimonies from healthcare workers during crises, we see how this counterintuitive principle transforms lives. We're not glamorizing suffering—we're recognizing that our deepest needs often lead to our greatest intimacy with God. This 15-minute reset offers practical ways to surrender your weaknesses and experience the steady, faithful strength that comes not from muscling through challenges but from leaning into grace. Whether you're commuting, taking a coffee break, or seeking a moment of calm in your day, this episode provides the spiritual reset your Wednesday needs.

Join our community by visiting thecrossroadscollective.org for more episodes and resources, or reach out directly at jm@thecrossroadscollective.org. If today's message resonates with you, share it with someone who might need this encouragement too.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Faith Unplugged
• 1:59 Grace Sufficient: Paul's Testimony
• 4:59 Weakness as God's Canvas
• 6:57 Historical Examples of Divine Strength
• 10:08 Practical Application for Today
• 11:42 Real-World Stories of Faith in Action

Transcript

Speaker 0: 0:30

Welcome to Faith Unplugged a new midweek Wednesday episode on the Faith Compass podcast where we want to spark your midweek with prayer and devotion. I'm Javier and I'm so glad you're here for our journey together. This is your 15-minute middle-of-the-week reset, unplugging from the world's noise and plugging into God's peace. Today we're diving into a powerful truth strength and weakness. Ever feel like you're running on empty? That's often exactly where God loves to show up. So let's dive in and spark some hope. I am genuinely excited that you decided to take time to listen.

Speaker 0: 0:56

This isn't just another podcast episode. It's our chance to pause, breathe and reconnect with something greater than the hustle. It's Wednesday, that midway point where the week can feel heavy, but here we are carving out time to step away from the noise, the notifications, the tasks, and reconnect with the peace only God gives. It's that switch from chaos to calm, from drained to spiritually filled. Our focus today is strength and weakness. That's a phrase that speaks volumes. We all know what it's like to feel drained when the demands outweigh our energy and our confidence feels shaky. Maybe the responsibilities are overwhelming or we're quietly questioning if we're enough. But here's what changes everything. God steps in when we are at our lowest. That's where his strength becomes visible. It's not about our capacity, it's about his power. Let's take a moment together, just you and me. Whether you're on your commute, sneaking in a breather between tasks or sipping coffee before the day gets hectic, this midweek check-in is for you, and we're not here just to feel better for a few minutes. We're here to tap into something deeper, something real, something that holds steady when everything else feels shaky.

Speaker 0: 1:49

You see, true strength doesn't always look like charging ahead or having all the answers. Sometimes it looks like pausing, breathing and saying I can't do this alone. It's in that honest space that something powerful begins to rise. Not fake strength, not forced smiles, but a quiet, rooted kind of resilience. Think about the times when life caught you off guard. Maybe it was a job loss, a health scare or just a season of burnout and emotional fog, and yet somehow you made it through, maybe not with fireworks or fanfare, but with steady steps, one moment at a time. That's what it looks like when strength is born out of surrender, not because you muscled through, but because something greater held you together.

Speaker 0: 2:23

Sometimes the most powerful breakthroughs happen in the stillness, in whispered prayers, in choosing to show up even when your heart feels heavy. It's in the small acts offering a kind word, checking on a friend, refusing to let fear win that strength quietly takes shape. And here's the beautiful truth we were never meant to carry it all alone. When we lean on something greater, when we admit our weakness, that's when real strength shows up. It's not loud, it's not flashy, but it's steady, faithful and life-giving. That's the kind of strength we're leaning into today.

Speaker 0: 2:46

And just to be clear, I'm not speaking from a place of having it all figured out. Faith, unplugged, is a space where we walk this out together, honest, growing and learning. So let's lean into this truth and see how it can reshape our midweek Strength and weakness. It's not just a phrase, it's a promise we can rely on. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for being our strength when we have none left. You meet us in the middle of our weariness, doubts and pressures and you remind us we're not alone. Help us release the Instead. Trust in your grace. Let your strength steady us today, in Jesus' name, amen.

Speaker 0: 3:18

Now let's open up scripture. 2 Corinthians, 12, verse 9, says 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. These are Paul's words of a man who faced serious hardship Shipwreck's, imprisonment, physical suffering. His life wasn't easy, and yet he wasn't ashamed of his limitations. He brought them to God. Paul prayed for relief from a persistent struggle of thorn that God chose not to remove. But God responded with something greater than instant healing, a promise His grace would be enough and in that space of need his power would shine. This wasn't just a private realization. Paul shared it with the early church to encourage them, knowing they too would face trials. And now, through scripture, that same encouragement reaches us.

Speaker 0: 3:56

His testimony shows that our struggles don't disqualify us from being used by God. They're often the very stage for his power to be displayed, as he wrote in 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 9,. But he said to me there's something so transformative about the way God works in weakness. Think about leaders who've grown through adversity, caregivers who've pressed on through exhaustion and individuals recovering from deep grief. They've all experienced what it means to receive grace that goes beyond human strength. Their endurance didn't come from themselves. It came from God's sustaining presence. When Paul says, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses. He's not glamorizing suffering. He's saying that even in suffering there is purpose, there is divine presence. Weakness becomes the canvas where God's strength is painted in bold strokes. It's countercultural, but it's kingdom truth. Let's take a deeper look at the context of Paul's words.

Speaker 0: 4:46

Just before verse 9, Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 12, verses 1-7, receiving incredible revelations from God. But instead of boasting in those experiences, he mentions this thorn in the flesh that kept him grounded. Scholars have debated the nature of the thorn. Some suggest it was a physical ailment, others believe it was spiritual or emotional hardship. Whatever it was, it was painful enough for Paul to plead with God three times to take it away.

Speaker 0: 5:08

This moment of pleading is one we can all relate to. Whether it's chronic illness, personal loss, financial strain or relational heartache. Many have cried out for relief, and yet God's response is powerful in its simplicity my grace is sufficient for you. Not only is grace sufficient, it is the very answer. That's not always what we expect, but it's always what we need.

Speaker 0: 5:25

Take the example of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape the Nazis during World War II. She endured the horrors of a concentration camp and later shared how God's strength upheld her when hers was gone. She wrote about moments of despair that turned into opportunities to witness God's presence in the darkest places. Her story echoes Paul's words God's power being made perfect in human weakness. Another example is Joni Eareckson Tata, who became a quadriplegic after a diving accident as a teenager.

Speaker 0: 5:49

Over decades of ministry she's been vocal about how her limitations have become a platform for God's power. She once said the weaker I am, the harder I must lean on God, and the harder I lean on Him, the stronger I discover Him to be. That's the essence of what Paul means leaning into grace because we know it will hold. This flips what we're used to hearing. Right, the world says be strong, be enough, push harder. But God says come to me, my grace is sufficient, I'll be your strength. So instead of hiding our frailty, we bring it to Him, knowing it invites His power to rest on us. We stop pretending and we start depending. Let's consider how this has echoed throughout history In the book of Judges.

Speaker 0: 6:22

Gideon is another striking example of strength being revealed in weakness. When God called Gideon to lead Israel against the Midianites, as recorded in Judges, chapter 6, gideon protested. He described himself as the weakest member of the weakest clan. Yet God used him to lead a drastically reduced army to victory, not because Gideon was mighty, but because God's power was made visible through someone who didn't believe he was strong enough. God intentionally reduced the size of Gideon's army to show that victory wasn't about numbers or muscle. It was about trust.

Speaker 0: 6:47

Another powerful example is Fanny Crosby. She was blind from infancy and went on to write over 8,000 hymns, many of which are still sung today in churches all over the world. Despite her disability, or maybe even because of it, she developed a sensitivity to God's voice and His strength that poured out through her lyrics. Her hymn Blessed Assurance, is a declaration of faith born from a life of daily dependence on God. She once said If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow, I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.

Speaker 0: 7:16

These stories show that weakness doesn't diminish our calling. It magnifies God's involvement. When we allow Him into those places we usually hide, we open ourselves to something deeper than comfort. Transformation. We start to realize that our deepest need can lead to our greatest intimacy with Him. We stop seeing weakness as a liability and start recognizing it as an invitation, an opening where grace flows in and God's glory shines out. So today, if you're feeling unsure, if your strength is running low, if your plans seem to be falling apart, consider that this might just be the moment God is preparing to show you a different kind of power of sustaining, peace-giving, grace-filled strength that can only be experienced when you come to the end of your own. Weakness doesn't stop, god. It often starts something new. Now let's bring it home.

Speaker 0: 7:52

It's easy to feel like we have to put on a brave face, especially when life is full, but God invites us to be honest. That anxiety, that doubt, that moment you wish you could undo, that's the space where his strength shows up. He's not waiting for you to clean up before coming to him. He meets you in the middle of it all. Let's take this from the head to the heart. Here's something practical to try Grab your phone or a piece of paper, write down one area where you feel weak today.

Speaker 0: 8:14

It might be something personal, relational, financial, whatever comes to mind. No need to dress it up. Just be real Now. Speak this prayer God, I'm struggling here, but your grace is enough. Show your strength in me. It doesn't need to be eloquent, just honest. That simple act of turning it over to Him is powerful. Put that note somewhere visible. Tape it to your mirror. He's working in and through your weakness.

Speaker 0: 8:41

If you're not into writing, take a few deep breaths. Picture that weakness. Maybe it's a situation, a feeling of fear. Now imagine God gently cupping his hands around it, shielding it, keeping it alive. That's his care for you. Steady, constant, powerful. And remember you don't have to muscle through this day on your own. His grace meets you in every step, every pause, every tear. He doesn't ask you to be perfect. He invites you to trust.

Speaker 0: 9:02

As we wrap up, remember this verse isn't a one-time encouragement. It's a way to live. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. That's more than words. It's a promise you can hold on to when the pressure builds, when the answers are unclear and when you feel like you've got nothing left. And this is something real. People abide by.

Speaker 0: 9:27

Firefighters, medical staff, teachers, caregivers. Many have openly shared how faith carries them through their toughest days. For instance, during the 9-11 attacks, countless first responders risked their lives to save others. Many later shared how it was their faith in God that gave them peace and clarity amidst chaos. In the years that followed, chaplains, counselors and faith leaders were on the ground, providing spiritual care not just for those directly affected, but also for those carrying the emotional aftermath. In hospitals around the world, nurses have testified to finding strength through prayer in the middle of exhausting 12-hour shifts. During COVID-19, nurses and doctors were seen praying with patients sometimes being the only person with them in their final moments. That kind of strength doesn't come from human willpower. It comes from leaning into something eternal. The same is true for many teachers who adapted their classrooms in the face of a pandemic, caring for students while navigating their own fears. Some teachers even hosted virtual Bible studies and prayer circles to stay grounded and consider the experience of those in war-torn areas.

Speaker 0: 10:10

Christian organizations such as Samaritan's Purse, world Vision and Open Doors have shared countless testimonies from aid workers who witness resilience and hope daily. They've met families in refugee camps living through unimaginable circumstances, who still gather for worship, still sing songs of praise, still pray for peace. Their joy doesn't come from their situation. It comes from the sustaining presence of Christ. Missionaries in remote areas have experienced similar grace. Many report how God provides wisdom, courage and strength exactly when they feel most incapable. In rural villages, without clean water or steady income, people still gather under makeshift tents to hear the word of God. Their stories are living examples of Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 12, 9.

Speaker 0: 10:45

Author Elizabeth Elliot, who lost her missionary husband to violence, continued her ministry with grace and strength rooted in Scripture. She famously said the will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem much worse, but in the end it's going to be a lot better and a lot bigger. That's the power of surrendering weakness. God writes something far greater than we imagined. So take that step today. Identify the area where you feel weakest, invite God into it, keep the reminder near you and watch how His power works, not in your perfection, but in your surrender.

Speaker 0: 11:12

Thanks for joining me for this midweek episode of Faith Unplugged on the Faithful Geek Podcast. If today resonated with you, I'd love to hear about it, and if you know someone who could use this encouragement, pass it along. Let's share the light. Please feel free to visit our podcast page on thecrossroadscollectiveorg. There you can find past episodes and resources to help in your faith walk. We are also on Twitter, or, as we now know it as X and on Instagram and YouTube. Check us out and if you enjoy this type of content, then give us a like and follow. Also, if you want to reach out to me, you can email me at jm, at thecrossroadscollectiveorg. I want to thank you again for joining me Until next Wednesday. Stay grounded in Christ, god bless.