Weakness Our Strength

by John Hindley

“Jesus would not have made us weak if we were meant to be strong, He would not have redeemed us in weakness if he had valued strength.” We long to be strong, sorted and secure. And we want this for our families too. Naturally. But what if strength, as we understand it, isn’t part of God’s plan? What if weakness is his way? This honest yet hope-filled book will transform your thinking and reassure your weakness is not just okay; it is God’s way.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

Published October 23, 2023

About the author

I really enjoy writing. I discovered this when I was working on Serving without Sinking, the first book I wrote. I am delighted to be a follower of Jesus, a husband and a father. I find my work as pastor of Broadgrace, a church in Norfolk a blessing (www.broadgrace.org.uk). To also have the opportunity to spend time writing feels like the icing on the cake.

The books I have written come out of struggles and tensions I have found as I have read the Bible, served in churches and followed Jesus. When I have observed others with similar fears, concerns, hopes and dreams it has encouraged me to pray, think and then write. I hope the books that result will bless the church.

Reviews

[Kenny Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Highly recommend.
Grateful for John Hindley’s insistent honesty and down-to-earthness, and gentle but firm pointing towards Jesus our kind Saviour and Friend.
Weakness is the great, secret, unexplored, unwanted, undervalued but non-negotiably necessary superpower of the gospel, the Christian and the church 🙌

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was working on a project related to this topic, I ran across this short little book. I had not heard of this author prior to reading this (audiobook); I found him to be pleasant, logical, honest, and organized. Gratefully, he did not give off a big personality, and he managed to do that without being bland.

I would recommend this book to anyone considering the role of inadequacy, imperfection, or limits in daily life. If you've ever considered the question, "Why did God create people who need to sleep?" or wished you could be in two places at once, this quick read is for you.

[Isabella Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convicting. Kind. Honest. Encouraging.

I have decided that John Hindley is the Remus Lupin of spiritual writers.

[Jonathan Thomas]

A call to embrace weakness.

A clear antidote to a theology of glory (in the historical theological sense).

John Hindley is always a voice worth listening to.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had been tugging at me since the moment I read the title. In a world that worships strength, not many are talking about the glory of weakness. But this book shows how Jesus came in the weakness of human flesh, and took on the foolishness of the cross, and surprisingly, this is how God showed his wisdom and power on full display. He chose weakness. God does not see weakness the same way we do. And this is so encouraging as so many of us struggle with our weakness! (I do!) Yet here, in the weakest place, is the place where we are most conformed to his image, as we fellowship with him in our sufferings, and lean on him to be our strength. The weak place we despise is actually a beautiful place, because it’s there we collapse on him, and find him to be strong. This book is a beautiful invitation to all who are weak and weary and draws on examples from the Scriptures and from Jesus himself to show what it promises: “weakness our strength.” It would make a great gift, or care package for a struggling friend, especially if you included some cozy socks, lotion, and tea.

After reading it, I feel less ashamed of my own weakness, and actually eager and excited to see how God will be glorified through them, because when I am weak, then He is strong. And perhaps the weakness I’ve so often despised, is how God will actually reveal His glory through me.

A favorite quote: “But the cross is too stark, too bloody, too naked, too accursed, and too shameful for you to push away the love of Christ for you. His love is displayed there…. As your grip finally gives way, please know that you will not perish on the jagged rocks of despairing weakness. Almost against yourself, know that you will fall into the arms of God.”

[Daniel Lønborg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ganske frisættende bog.

Gjorde mig opmærksom på, i hvilken grad styrke er en afgud i mig. Vores kultur idoliserer det liv, vi selv kan skabe. Det liv, der er udtryk for vores egne ambitioner og anstrengelser.
Det liv regner Gud for intet, og ligesåvel burde den kristne det
"Jeg regner det så vidt alt for tab på grund af det langt større at kende Kristus Jesus, min Herre" Fil 3,8
At kende Kristus er nemlig at være afhængig. Selv Gud lader sig være afhængig, så det den ene person i treenigheden gør, ikke kan gøres uden den anden og tredjes hjælp.
Sand styrke finder vi ikke i os selv men uden for os selv. Gud viser sin styrke i vores magtesløshed - hvorfor stræber vi så sådan efter at ville selv, kunne selv, opnå selv?
Der er en større styrke i at kende sin svaghed, end i febrilsk at fortrænge den.

"Jesus is not a God who expects us to grow stronger backs and broader shoulders for him to lay more burdens on. He is a God who offers to take our burdens from us and carry them for us."

Kan anbefales hvis du også oplever at svaghed og træthed er byrder, der virker umulige at slippe.
Er derudover en dejlig moderne formulering og forklaring af korsteologi.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't fear weakness.
"God did not seem to want strength when he created the cosmos." (133)

John Hindley speaks about being weak in a way which gives hope that this might not be a problem to solve but, rather shockingly, part of God's good design. I am weak and that's good. How can that be? The book presents readers with a God who embraces weakness, to the point of death on a cross, so that weak people would know where to take refuge when we feel our own insufficiency. And not as a mark (necessarily) of our failing, but as an act of doing the very thing we were made for.

I did get confused about the use of the word 'weakness' in a few places, as it's (understandably) used to talk about different ways we experience weakness - in being finite, living in a broken world, and being sinful. The overall idea of the book still came across though.

Short chapters, memorable examples and illustrations, honest personal reflection, clear and engaging unpacking of key Scriptures - there's heaps to be encouraged by in this book.

[Thomas Consultants · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Nate Jacques · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few books that one can say truly transform and influence their perspective, but this is one of them. From cover to cover it exposes the truth of who we are. It outright contradicts the zeitgeist of our culture by refuting the promise of strength. Rather, it replaces the reader’s deep longing for strength with a deep longing for Jesus. Weakness causes dependance, and we were made to spend an eternity depending on Christ. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!

[Aled Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We understand that God does not fear or despise strength. But to come back to the core theme of this book, the wonder is that he doesn't fear or despise weakness either…….
don't fear weakness…….
Weakness is a guide to Christ, a friend who invites us into dependence on a God who is completely dependable.”

Picked this up feeling my weakness keenly and it has been really refreshing and pointed me to depend on Jesus

[Phil Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really helpful book about how "weakness" in the world's eyes is God's way. It covers our bodily frailty, our sinfulness, how our Gospel is seen to be weak, how churches are weak & how our Saviour triumphs through the cross. Full of rich application, this is one of my best reads of 2023.

[Emma S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. A challenge to my own (and society’s) view of weakness. A book that is pastoral and gentle, yet firm where necessary. Lots to think about.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful! Something or a modern retelling of Luther's theology of the cross vs. theology of glory.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I had COVID and it could not be better timed. This book offered great comfort when my weaknesses were very real and frustrating. It changed my perspective from dwelling on my weakness to rejoicing in the strength of Christ (who's victory on the cross was won through what the world sees as weakness). I will definitely read again, and would recommend wholeheartedly.
I was really convicted by how I both hide my weaknesses in some ways, and in other ways hide behind my weaknesses. What an amazing Christ we have, who's strength is shown clearly in and through our weakness!