Working with My Weaknesses
Kent Hughes
Strengths alone do not a ministry make.
—Kent Hughes Soon after I became a Christian in high school, I was certain God wanted me to preach. But I had a problem: shyness. Even today, when I'm with new acquaintances, I'm not the type to assert myself. I'm perfectly happy to sit at the back and follow other people's lead. Since I had been called to preach, though, I knew I would have to deal with this weakness. So as a teenager, I intentionally took leadership positions, responsibilities that would put me in front of people. I was a student body officer in high school and a leader in my church youth group. In front of such groups, I was terrified the whole time. At times I achieved the illusion of being a confident, articulate leader, but I wasn't. Nothing I did was spontaneous. Even with announcements, I'd prepare a script so that I wouldn't mess up. As a seminarian, I remained nervous when up front. When I led devotions, I made sure not to look at my wife, because if I caught her eye I would be distracted by concern over how I was doing. At times I'd get twitches in my cheek, my eyes would water, and I'd blush. Yet I still felt called to public ministry. Today people tell me I'm an accomplished preacher, and I've been a pastor so long they think I naturally fit the role. Many in my congregation would never suspect my basic shyness. All this convinces me that pastoral ministry means more than using one's strengths for Christ. In fact, I've come to believe that Christ uses our weaknesses in ministry as much as our strengths. Some people wonder. Isn't it poor stewardship of one's time and energy to work on a weakness? Doesn't God create us with strengths so we can major on them, and by doing so, work most efficiently and fruit fully ...
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