By Nancy Rempel
Introduction
In the Disney movie The Lion King, lion cub Simba, in disobedience to his father, King Mufasa, goes to the elephant graveyard with his lion cub girlfriend, Nala. Bloodthirsty hyenas ambush the cubs, intent on having them for dinner. Simba enrages the hyenas, scratching one on the cheek, and the chase is on. Cornered by the hyenas, Simba belts out a roar approximating that of a house cat. The hyenas lick their chops, closing in for the kill when the full-throated roar of an adult lion shatters the atmosphere. Mufasa has come to the rescue. After dispatching the hyenas, he escorts the rebellious cubs home.
Simba badly overestimated himself. He fractured his relationship with his father, endangered his sweet friend, and disqualified himself for service. The lion cub did not understand the freedom of weakness.
I identify with Simba. Independence, adventure, and a little danger are intoxicating to me. Concepts like weakness, dependence, and submission are not attractive to me. These are things to be overcome, side-stepped, not embraced. Do I hear the approaching laughter of hyenas?
Our Weakness
We are experiencing weakness these days. My husband is suffering from joint and muscle pain. A battery of therapists is working hard to bring about healing and relief. Meanwhile, our usually indomitable lifestyle has slowed to a limp. Our weakness does not feel like freedom; it feels restrictive.
People close to us are struggling against God. This has created a relational distance between us and them. My words and person are unimpressive. I am on the sidelines, powerless to intervene or change anyone.
The Muslim immigrants my husband and I are seeking to introduce to Christ prefer the bondage of Islam and the deception of the world rather than the Truth. In their presence, I am Simba in the elephant graveyard.
God’s Strength
“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.” Psalm 62:1 NASB.
As I sit in silence, the Bible in my hands, freedom is stirring in my heart. How did I ever think that God expected me to be strong and competent? Where did that notion come from? Because I’m not seeing it in the Bible. I’m seeing this:
“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NASB.
Apparently, life’s many challenges are not opportunities for me to showcase my strength and ability. They are the canvas on which God displays his power and greatness. Weakness is my contribution to the painting.
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,”
1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NASB.
In a lineup of servants, God most often chooses the weakest one. Inasmuch as God has ever chosen to use me, it has been because of my weakness. This dose of reality is liberating. I don’t have to pretend to be something I am not. I can champion my weaknesses and the power of God.
Simba did not care about his girlfriend, Nala. Not really. He used her as the backdrop for his vanity. “Look how brave and independent I am,” he thought. In reality, he was an unwitting prisoner, tethered to Nala’s approval and praise.
“The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.” Proverbs 29:25 NASB.
Fellowship and Refreshment
My friends cherish my weaknesses, not my strengths.
Being frank about our weaknesses and declaring our dependence on God flips the script in relationships. Instead of performing for the approval of others or fearing their rejection, we are free to love and serve them. And we invite the power of Christ to dwell in us. Last Sunday, we experienced intimacy in prayer with another couple when we were candid about our struggles. I’m guessing our weakness was refreshing to them.
“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness,’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB
But it’s crazy, right? We receive the gift of eternal life by faith in Jesus for it. Bringing nothing to the table, we rest on Jesus’ promise alone. Remember how you felt? Free from the burden of having to save yourself. Wonderfully weak and secure in God’s all-powerful hands.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” John 6:47 NKJV.
Then, five minutes after being born again, we imagine we are God’s greatest asset. Well-meaning Christians nudge us onto a platform, and we perform instead of depending. There is one minor problem. We aren’t God’s greatest asset. Our weakness, our impotence, led us to trust in Christ. It is the nature of our relationship, and it will never change.
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NASB.
Conclusion
I pray God heals my husband’s joint issues as soon as possible. I ache for strained relationships with dear ones to be whole. My heart longs for my Muslim friends to have honest faith conversations with me.
In the meantime, I am learning how to relate to weakness and its close associates: humility, endurance, and dying to myself. With age comes increasing weakness, so the sooner I make peace with it, the better–the freer–I will be.
I am learning the freedom in being weak.
I’m learning to say with Paul, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 NASB.
Nancy and her husband have been serving as missionaries in Pakistan, India, and North America for over three decades. They currently live in Western Canada, where she enjoys writing and the great outdoors. Recently Nancy published her first book, WHOOSH Out of My Head and Into GOD’S.
Free Grace Women 
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