When I was a student at Regent College, I took Systematic Theology with Dr. J.I. Packer, so I was curious to read his latest book, Weakness is the Way: Life with Christ Our Strength (CrossWay, 2013). This small book of reflections focuses on 2 Corinthians, and this quote from the introduction provides a good summary (page 15):

We need to be aware of our limitations and to let this awareness work in us humility and self-distrust, and a realization of our helplessness on our own. Thus we may learn our need to depend on Christ, our Savior and Lord, at every turn of the road, to practice that dependence as one of the constant habits of our heart, and hereby to discover what Paul discovered before us: ‘When I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Cor. 12:10).

I like the video trailer for the book even better, with Dr. Packer’s voice as I remember it, with the same British accent and the same precise way of speaking. His example of facing weakness with dignity and humility is inspiring.

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