Gathering Strength in God 积聚力量
Dexu Xia
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Grainger McKoy is an artist who studies and sculpts birds, capturing their grace, vulnerability, and power. One of his pieces is titled Recovery. It shows the single right wing of a pintail duck, stretched high in a vertical position. Below, a plaque describes the bird’s recovery stroke as “the moment of the bird’s greatest weakness in flight, yet also the moment when it gathers strength for the journey ahead.” Grainger includes this verse: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
The apostle Paul wrote these words to the church at Corinth. Enduring a season when he was overwhelmed with personal struggle, Paul begged God to remove what he described as “a thorn in my flesh” (v. 7). His affliction might have been a physical ailment or spiritual opposition. Like Jesus in the garden the night before His crucifixion (Luke 22:39–44), Paul repeatedly asked God to remove his suffering. The Holy Spirit responded by assuring him that He’d provide the strength needed. Paul learned, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Oh, the thorns we experience in this life! Like a bird gathering its strength for the journey ahead, we can gather up God’s strength for what we’re facing. In His strength, we find our own.
By: Elisa Morgan
Where are you experiencing weakness today? How can you—in that exact weakness—gather God’s strength for your journey?
Dear Father, help me gather my strength from Yours as I face what’s ahead in my life today.
我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。—哥林多后书12章9节
格兰杰·麦科伊（Grainger McKoy）是一位研究和雕刻鸟类的艺术家，擅于捕捉各种鸟类优雅、脆弱和展现力量的姿态。在他一件名为《复原》（Recovery）的雕刻作品中，展示了一只针尾鸭的右翼，高高地垂直伸展着。作品下方的一块牌匾如此描述：“飞行中的鸟类在收起翅膀时，是最软弱无力的时刻，但也是它为未来的旅程积聚力量的时刻。”格兰杰还引用圣经经文说﹕“我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。”（哥林多后书12章9节）
使徒保罗在写给哥林多教会的书信中讲了这段话。有一段时间，保罗因个人的软弱而饱受折磨，所以他祈求上帝除去他身上的“一根刺”（7节）。他的痛苦可能是身体上的疾病，也可能是信仰上的逼迫。就像耶稣在受难的前一晚在园中向天父祷告一样（路加福音22章39-44节），保罗也一再求上帝除去他的痛苦。最后圣灵回应了他，保证会供应他所需的力量，保罗也充分领悟到：“我什么时候软弱，什么时候就刚强了！”（哥林多后书12章10节）
噢，我们今生所忍受的刺何其多啊！然而，正如鸟儿为前方的旅程积聚力量一样，我们也可以为将要面临的一切，积聚从上帝而来的能力。因祂赐下能力，我们便获得力量！
作者： 莫丽莎
今天你在哪方面感到软弱无力？
在软弱时，你如何积聚从上帝而来的力量，
继续前行？
亲爱的天父，求祢帮助我从祢那里获得能力，
好让我可以面对未来的一切。