There is a song which I’ve always liked, a song where there is a boasting in weaknesses and the things which bring disillusionment. This song can both be sung out of anger and grief by the young, but out of healthy reflection from the older.

I am 41 now but when this song came out I was about 24, back then the song Thank You by Alanis Morissette took me to a place of anger, it took me to a place of sorrow. It took me to a place of frustration and feelings of abandonment so I avoided the song.

But now I have learned to be thankful for disillusionment. Not in a flowery be thankful for your weaknesses sort of thing just because the bible says so. Seriously, as I look at my life in hindsight I see good things, very good things in the areas where I am lacking and frustrated. I am seriously thankful for the places where I am weak. As painful as they are, I am thankful for the things which bring me disillusionment. As much as I fight them, I am thankful for the injustices in my own life. As frustrating as they are, I am thankful for the areas that I am inadequate. As much as they may make me grieve about what could have been I am thankful for the areas where I fell short.

All these areas, these weaknesses these inadequacies, these injustices and these remind me of someone else, it reminds me of another one who lived long ago, he boasted in his weakness and infirmities because of the effect it had on his knowing Christ.  “If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.” Apostle Paul, he later explained his only boasting was in his weakness because his weaknesses exalted Jesus Christ, they took the attention and glory off of himself and onto dependence Jesus Christ.

For that reason I also am learning to be thankful for my weaknesses. There are some things, many things I just cannot do without him doing, I am helpless in many ways.