Step 1 Devotional: The Paradox of Powerlessness
Admitting our own powerlessness is a complex and perplexing notion
But when we realize that the power comes from outside of ourselves, we are then able to utilize it.
So many factors go into our view of power and, by association, powerlessness. For starters, our own pride and confidence play a major role. We can often view admitting our need for help as weak, shameful, and embarrassing. This can affect even the simplest parts of life, like asking a clerk where to find an item at Home Depot. “There are signs everywhere. I should be able to find it myself.” And, even when we can break through our pride, our sense of responsibility can get in the way. “If I give up control on this, won’t I just become complacent and just stop trying?”
Man, how much do both of these concerns hold us in addiction? No one wants to admit that they’re “especially awful,” spending every waking moment of their lives numbing the pain with substances or using other people. And after some time, we get to a point where we’ve wanted to stop, tried to quit, and yet still struggle. If we “admit defeat” in our addiction, we’ll fall further in it, right? Thank God that isn’t the case! The first step of recovery starts with admitting defeat.
Published
06/09/2022
Category
Faith
Step 1 of Recovery
We admitted that we were powerless over our problems–that our lives had become unmanageable.
Life is full of paradoxes. “The more we fail, the more likely we are to succeed.” That’s called practice, dummy. “The more connected we get, the more isolated we feel.” Don’t get me started on digital well-being. “The more choices we have, the less satisfied we are with each of them.” Even with all the streaming services that are constantly being updated with new original content, it still feels like “there’s nothing to watch.”
How’s this for a paradox? Admitting that you’re weak is one of the strongest things you can do. Why? Real power comes from outside of ourselves. Imagine if Tony Stark decided he didn’t need his armor to punch through a wall. A weak person throws his fist at the wall until it’s bloody and broken. A strong person recognizes the foolishness of that idea and looks for something outside of themself to accomplish their goal. Paul paints a vivid depiction of what this real power looks like for us in his second letter to the church of Corinth.
Paul contrasts the visually beautiful and inherently valuable treasure with the simple and mundane clay pot it resides in. The treasure represents the power that has been poured into us by God. The perishable clay pot represents our human bodies with all their flaws and weaknesses. Most of us run around with our pots filled to the brim with dirt that does little more than weigh down. This dirt can take on many forms: drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. We think that we have the power to buy the joy, peace, and hope needed in life with our pot of dirt.
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
Once we realize that the power we keep holding on to is insufficient, we can dump out the dirt and accept the treasure offered by God. We may still be a simple clay vessel, but now we’re filled with something much more valuable than ourselves. What a relief! We can now live a real life, still with its daily struggles, now filled with the treasure that can buy the joy, peace and hope that we’ve been yearning for. Dump out your dirt and carry the treasure available to you today.
Conclusion
Key takeaways
- Our sense of pride and responsibility skew our view of power and powerlessness
- Life is full of paradoxes
- Admitting we are weak is actually a strong thing to do
- Paul describes us as simple clay pots filled with treasure
- We used to fill our pots with dirt (drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.) that only weighs us down
- We are now a walking paradox, a cheap vessel filled with treasure, a weak and flawed person with the power of God at our disposal
Challenge
Apply to your life
Take 30 minutes this week to read chapter four of 2 Corinthians. Meditate and pray on what you read. Read, pray, and meditate with the specific view of your own powerlessness juxtaposed with God’s great power in your mind. Recognize your need for him and his ability to intercede for you.
Conclusion
Key takeaways
- Our sense of pride and responsibility skew our view of power and powerlessness
- Life is full of paradoxes
- Admitting we are weak is actually a strong thing to do
- Paul describes us as simple clay pots filled with treasure
- We used to fill our pots with dirt (drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.) that only weighs us down
- We are now a walking paradox, a cheap vessel filled with treasure, a weak and flawed person with the power of God at our disposal
Challenge
Apply to your life
Take 30 minutes this week to read chapter four of 2 Corinthians. Meditate and pray on what you read. Read, pray, and meditate with the specific view of your own powerlessness juxtaposed with God’s great power in your mind. Recognize your need for him and his ability to intercede for you.
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Ty Walker
Ty Walker is a contract copywriter and graphic designer with a huge heart for recovery. He has spent the last five years serving churches and recovery communities with his creative skills. Ty spends his free time writing poetry and fictional short stories as well as hiking, biking, and kayaking with his wife, Angie, and his two daughters, Winter and Ember.
Credit where credit is due
This article was inspired by The Life Recovery Bible presented by Tyndale Publishing. If you would like to check out additional recovery articles, videos, and podcast episodes, check us out at artisticrecovery.org.
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