A question that my wife often asks me is, “what does it mean to boast in your weaknesses in this situation?” This is a helpful gospel index for me. My default state is not to boast in my weakness. Its not even to feel neutrally about it. Its to fight it, conceal it, and fear its exposure. But this shows the gospel has not gone down deep enough into my heart and subconscious. As I learn to walk with Christ as my confidence, before God and people, I can relax into my responsibilities – my job, for example, or my studies, or my marriage – and trust that whatever God has called me to, He will enable me to do, and His power will shine through my weaknesses. Its not all up to me. My part is to do my best. Christ will fill in the gaps with His presence and power.

Walking in the freedom of this is so rarely my daily reality! But even just seeing my need for it is an incentive to worship and pursue it.