Thanks for joining me for Part Three of our scripture study using the SOAP method.
Please consider journaling your own scripture reflections as we continue to explore Bible verses based on North Point church’s recent series Out of the Shallows, encouraging everyone to take a ‘deeper dive’ into scriptures. Catch up with us on the first two installments here and here. (You’ll also find details on using the SOAP method.)

S- scripture…O- observation…A- application… P- prayer

Today’s scripture:

But he (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.  Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

S- My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

O- ‘My power is made perfect in weakness’ It makes so much sense, if you pause to think about it.  How could we ever see God working in our lives if everything was perfect and we felt we were doing it all on our  own? It’s only when we have a weakness, or a hardship, and we need God’s help that we recognize his power, and our complete insufficiency without it.

A- Examine your life – the blessings and the challenges. Find the good in every hardship. And that  ‘good’ is this: In every difficulty…GOD. IS. WORKING.  In you and through you, and for you. And for others. When you make the decision to look, it’s really not that hard to see God’s hand of Grace on even the most difficult situation. Rejoice in this truth!

P-Lord, you make all things work together for good when I trust and depend on you. Thank you for all the ways you have used the difficulties in my life to bring me closer to you. Help me use this in a positive way to help others.

I really encourage you to try this method of getting more out of scripture. As you can see above, this does not have to be a laborious, scholarly examination of the verse. So many struggle with how to get started reading their Bible, and this is a really simple approach that can be done in a relatively short span of time.

The cool part is going back after doing this for a week or two and reading your previous reflections. You will likely be pleasantly surprised. I sure was.