God is after your Achilles heel

Oil Paint by Peter Paul Rubens

In Greek mythology, Achilles was the bravest hero in the Trojan war. When Achilles was born, it was foretold he would die in battle. Thus, to prevent his death, his mother tried to make him immortal by dipping him in river Styx. But she missed Achilles' heel because she was holding him by it. Therefore, Achilles heel remained untouched by the magic water of the Styx and remained mortal or vulnerable. Achilles grew up to survive many great battles but a poisonous arrow lodged to his heel, killed him softly. Due to this mythology, to this day any area of weakness, vulnerable spot is called an “Achilles heel.”

This weekend I was having a talk with a friend, when I realized how God uses our Achilles heel to reveal his glory in us.

We might have many strengths we can refer to, be it our achievement in school, career, business skill, communication skill….you name it!.. just think of the strength you think you have. Well, many people might be after your strength, including yourself, but not God.

Instead God is after your weakness, your Achilles heel! You know that point in your life, that heel you guard, build walls around, fence it with ‘let’s not talk about it’ security wire, your soft spot, weakness, area which doesn’t require much temptation to fall as a result…God is after that.

Think about it, if God uses your strength, which of course He would in some cases, you are more likely to take the credit for yourself. However when God uses your Achilles heel, He is more likely to take the glory for Himself. “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise..” Isaiah 42:8

Thus, when God uses you Achilles heel, he will uncover it, expose it, test it, …he will do anything you don’t want to do with your weakness. “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17

Some people think, God purposely hold us on the ‘heel’ as He dips us in His grace, to keep us vulnerable, to teach us to lean only on Him. Some think, God knowingly let us have Achilles heel, because after all that is what will make us keep crawling back to Him.

Some believe the Devil is the source and the manipulator of our weak spots. Others suggest every single individual is responsible for themselves. Whatever we think only, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

Well let’s give a glance to the Bible, for it is filled with examples of how God loves to use people’s Achilles heel, first even when He chooses us;

 “God purposely chose ... what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful.” 1 Cor 1:27     

Abraham couldn’t make a child; God took Abraham’s weakness and transformed him into a father of nations.

Moses was raised in palace, having ‘contacts’ (which in these days most of us look for, having contact with the rich and prominent, to get a job, to be accepted in certain school… ‘side thought’), however God didn’t use Moses’s strengths.

Moses had temper issues; God took his weakness and turned him into the humblest man on earth. He also had speech issues, never been well with words, but God took his weakness and turn him into a great leader.

David was young shepherd, short, not good looking, rejected 8th son of Jesse. Who would have thought back then that David would kill Goliath?

David grew up to be a king and of course an adulterer and a murderer. However God turned his weakness, to make him “A man after God’s own heart.” Acts 13:22

Gideon had low self-esteem and insecurities, however God made him a “Mighty man of valor” Judges 6:12

We could go on and on with stories from the Bible. But, above all, can you imagine, God used His own Achilles heel- UNCONDITIONAL LOVE to save humanity. God has the power, the strength more than we could ever comprehend, however He didn’t use His strength or might to draw mankind back to Him. Instead He used His weakness; “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom 5: 7-8

Just provide your Achilles heel to God, allow Him to use it, open up to God. Let God use your Achilles heel, for His grace is sufficient for you, it is in your weakness that His power is made perfect. Then you can boast gladly about your weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on you. 2 Cor 12:9

My friend asked me, if something like the Bible is to be written in our age, would your story be in it? Would you be the woman recorded because God revealed His strength in your weakness, or will you be those names mentioned in Bible just because they have some sort of connection with the protagonist? Remember these those who were rich, good looking, ‘qualified’, ‘got it all together’ but their name was just mentioned for the sake of the weak.

I end phrasing the same question to you; will your story be in it?