Partner With Your Weakness(es)

I heard this statement first from a very inspiring man (A.F.), and it seemed to be like a word I have been waiting for. Can you relate to the statement “work on your weaknesses!”? For me, there have been several areas that are weaknesses, and working on them has been quite difficult.

For instance, though I love teaching, my first assignment in the Children’s church was to teach 3 year olds. At that age, all these children want are songs and games, which was my weakness. Not only did I not know how to sing, I did not know the songs the children liked. After struggling with this weakness for a long while, the only way I could move forward was to have an assistant who knew the songs the children liked, and could sing them.

We see various cases where we need to partner with our weaknesses. Why? Because we cannot do it all by ourselves. God has blessed each and every one of us with qualities that make us unique and different. Someone else can effortlessly do something that is your weakness. For instance, while growing up in a home of 6 girls, we had the ones that could cook a meal in 30 minutes, the ones that could clean the house in 5 minutes, the ones who loved going to market (and get gain from the change), and the ones who loved to wash the car. The only way we could effectively get the house in order was to focus on our strengths individually, and collectively the jobs got done. All my mother wanted to know at the end of the day was if there was food in the house, if the house was clean and if her car was okay for a trip. The "who" was inconsequential (unless it was not done properly).

Of course, in choosing a partner, the “Partner with your weakness” cannot be more relevant. People are first of all drawn to each other by their similarities. But always look for those areas where the both of you are different, and see if you complement each other in weaknesses.  Differences are not always bad. It really matters on the long run, and it helps to give you and your children a broader perspective to life.

That being said, let me go and meet with my team where we have all decided to partner with our weaknesses in order to collectively meet our objectives for the year. One cannot underestimate the value of teamwork.

Have a blessed week ahead!

Related Bible Verses

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up [Ecclesiastes 4:9 NIV]

As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other [1 Corinthians 12: 20-25 NIV].

The Sack Letter

October 2011. I was in the general office when my manager called a colleague and I out to a secluded area. She handed us a letter. As I opened mine, it read, “your services are no longer required by the organization…”. My colleague also had a similar letter. I was shocked. I called my husband and told him. He said it must have been a mistake. I told God that if it was His will then it should be done. That I would pursue other interests. But I got a nudge in my spirit that I should speak to my mother.

Then I woke up. It was all a dream. But I was sweating, cold and scared. I knew from experience that my organization could “right-size” at any time. If they did and they did not find me relevant at that time, I could be affected by the “right-sizing”. I woke my husband up and told him, “I just dreamt that I was sacked!” He shook his head and sighed. “Go back to sleep. Stop worrying. You cannot be sacked.”

His words were not encouraging at all. Not for me who knows how to worry. Then I remembered that in the dream I had a nudge to speak to my mother. It was 5am. I called her and expressed my fears. I told her if it was God’s will, I will accept it because there must be other things He wanted me to focus on. But she said, “you know what, let us pray about it. Both of you will receive letters, but it will be promotion letters!” Then we prayed and closed the matter.

November 2011. I got to work like any other work day. Around 2pm my main manager came to my office and called all those that report to him into a room. He said, “something has come up. There’s been some reorganization. You will hear it in the webcast that is about to take place…” My mind quickly went to the dream. That is how I attended the webcast only to hear that effective January 1st 2012, my job function will cease to exist in the organization. Provision for new jobs had been made for others with job functions similar as mine. There I was without a job effective January 1st. The timing of the announcement was not favorable for me because it was close to December. Organizations don’t often recruit then. Then I began to worry. I was also desperate at that time and was looking to do anything so as not to be fired. But all doors seemed to be closed towards me. December entered January. January to February. I heard there was a position they had for me that I would resume effective March. March came and went, no letter.

While waiting, I realized that I needed to pursue my interests. I realized that the job may not always be there but what was unique to me will always remain. My passion to write had not died but I had to awaken it from sleep. I decided to review my novel “Against The Perfect Will”. It was then I made all effort to get it published. Within 2 months, the book was published.

It was as though God wanted me to get that book published because it was only after then did a letter show up. This occurred in April. It came with a promotion but did not meet all the terms that I expected. At this point, I was no longer desperate. If they did not accept my terms, I was ready to pursue writing full time.

Well, to cut the long story short, by end of April I received a letter that came with a promotion, exceeded my expectations, and it was for a job that I am totally passionate about. I am too thankful to God for His faithfulness.

Lessons Learnt:-

1. “Bad” dreams do not always have to happen as dreamt. Prayer can help to change the course of negative things that want to happen.

2. A delay does not mean denial. God is always working behind the scenes in our favor, if we let Him.

3. While waiting on God, there are things He would like us to do. Let us not be too overwhelmed by our situation to ignore what He wants us to do.

I lift up anyone who is experiencing delays in a prayer that is already answered. May the physical manifestation of your answered prayer come very quickly and may all forces delaying your answered prayer let go immediately, in Jesus name, Amen.

Note: The other guy went through similar challenges but got his promotion January 2012. Thank God for prayers.

Mr. Rita said he believes I am very valuable and hence cannot be sacked, that is why he did not worry. SMH. Now that I look back, I realize that there was no need to worry. But then, I am human :-)

Thank you to Jhazmyn, Enkay, Writefreak and Chacha for lifting me up in prayer when I was tired of praying. God bless you.