OVERCOMING WEAKNESS:
Genesis 39:1-6 NLT
[1] When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. [2] The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. [3] Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. [4] This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. [5] From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. [6] So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man,
Those who are making it in life are those who have found and are operating in their areas of strength. Many are frustrated and failing in life, not because they are not trying hard, but because they are operating in their areas of weakness. The way to overcome your area of weakness is to staff it and not make it your major focus in life.
Joseph was good at managing resources. No matter how good you are at gathering sheaves, yours will bow before that of Joseph (Genesis 37:5-8)! So what will you do? Compete with him, pull him down, or sell him as a slave? No matter what you do you will have to bow and acknowledge that the Lord is with him and he can’t be beaten! If we are wise, we will act like Potiphar and the Pharaoh. Employ him and put him in charge.
Friends, some of us are very good with figures and maths, while some of us get confused even by looking at them. Some of us are very good at cleaning and organizing, while some of us make more mess in our attempts to clean. Some of us are appreciated with little effort, while some of us are hardly appreciated with our best efforts and hard work.
All of us have different giftings with varying degrees of ability. Beloved, God gives grace according to our giftings and abilities. His presence will be more visible in our lives when we operate in our areas of gifting than in our areas of weakness (Romans 12:3-8).
In the famous parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the merchant gave out the talents according to ability. Those given the five and two talents doubled their money respectively. The one with the least ability and was therefore given one talent, made excuses. The merchant was not pleased with that servant and pointed out to him that he could have given his money to the bankers, so that he would have received his talent back with interest. In other words, he could have employed bankers to do what he couldn’t do and still made profit. Do you know that most actors and professionals employ others to manage their money?
Do you want to be successful in life? Please don’t make a career in your area of weakness. Identify your area of gifting and grace and God will be with you, doors will swing open with little effort, and God’s favour will be with you wherever you are.
Proverbs 18:16 NKJV
[16] A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.