The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10 states that when he was weak he was strong. At first glance it sounds like a paradox. In today’s guest post, Eric Geiger explains how being weak, and acknowledging rather than covering our experienced weaknesses, actually makes us stronger.

Guest Post by Eric Geiger

Leaders are restless by nature. A common experience is we set a goal, see the goal realized, and struggle to celebrate because we are already focused on the next goal. Or in the midst of a major “win,” we notice all the areas for improvement. The longer we lead, the more we can become disappointed with the reality that “the wins” won’t be enough for us. And the longer we lead, the more aware we can become—and should become—of the reality that our restlessness hurts our peace and discourages people we love.

Not all restlessness is bad. There is a holy restlessness, a burning desire to steward your role well for the sake of others. But holy restlessness is always connected to rest—to resting in the finished work of Jesus for our identity and our satisfaction. If restlessness is not connected to rest, we are looking for our roles or our goals to bring life to us, and they are unable to. Your restlessness can only be holy and good and beneficial to others as long as you continually rest in Christ.

Jacob, one of the patriarchs of our faith, was restless. He was a striver and a wrestler his entire life; true to his name, which holds a double meaning of “striver” and “deceiver.” He wrestled his twin brother in the womb, wrestled away his brother’s birthright for a bowl of stew, and wrestled the blessing from his dying father through deception. Jacob spent his whole life fighting, scheming, and striving to get what he wanted. Then one night, alone and preparing to face the brother he had betrayed, Jacob wrestled with God. All night they fought. Jacob wouldn’t let go. But with one touch, God dislocated Jacob’s hip. And in that moment of weakness, God gave him something Jacob had been wrestling and striving for his entire life: an identity. “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” he said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28).

He walked away from the wrestling match with a new name and a limp. His new name, Israel, means “God fights.” He was renamed from being a wrestler with people and a striver for status to being one who God fights for.

How did a man wrestle with God all night? Isn’t God more powerful than that? When I wrestled with my kids when they were small, I wanted the match to go on as long as possible because I loved the time with them. I withheld my strength from them. I put myself in a weak position because, though in my power I could hurt them, in my love, I could not. In His power, God could have destroyed Jacob instantly. But in His love, He withheld His power. God made Himself weak so as not to destroy Jacob but to win Jacob to Himself.

This isn’t the only time God has made Himself weak, is it? He made Himself weak to be with you when He placed Himself on the cross.

Jacob probably didn’t feel like he won as he limped away with an injured hip. But God gave him a new name. The way to win is to lose to Him. God is gracious to us, and if we tap out and lose to Him, His victory is ours. In His grace, He blesses us and renames us.