But he 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.

• 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

God’s power is often shrouded in mystery because it isn’t obvious to us in our daily lives. We read about it in the Bible, through miracles and various acts, but experiencing it firsthand is rare. This elusive nature makes it challenging for us to fully grasp or understand God’s omnipotence.

Omnipotence is an abstract concept that is difficult for us to comprehend. It is a philosophically complex topic. We might think of strength or power in terms of our everyday lives, but these are imperfect glimpses of true omnipotence. The power to create nature, the universe, and even our own minds and bodies is so far beyond our understanding; its magnitude renders it ineffable and we cannot get our minds around this infinite power.

God’s power is seen directly all throughout the Old Testament. Miracles provide a tangible example of God’s power. They represent God’s ability to interrupt the natural order with His divine will and breaking the very laws we consider immutable. This is why miracles can be hard to believe; they defy the logic and understanding of the human mind. For Christians, recognizing this power should inspire reverence and guide our daily lives. Forgetting God’s power means missing a crucial aspect of who God is which leads to an incomplete worship.

However, in the New Testament, we mostly see them through the miracles of Jesus. There are a few exceptions. Notably, the blinding of Paul, which led to his conversion. Arguably, this is also through Jesus, as he was the one he met on Damascus road and received censure for persecuting Christians. The giving and taking of his vision led to the conversion of Paul.

Thinking about what Paul experiences is revealing. Being blinded is a traumatic experience and undercuts whatever status Paul believed he had in persecuting Christians. God’s power shattered his worldview and it all changed in a moment. God’s power also restored his vision and, symbolically, helped him see the world clearer through his conversion.

We also see God’s power through the ultimate miracle of the resurrection of Christ. It’s the most supernatural event. Conquering death and sin. It destroys all of our anxiety, doubt, and angst. We can confidently move forward under the authority and strength of God; we know he is our ally so long as we have faith. This is the ultimate gift. God’s power is always there and it has the potential to change everything at any moment. Understanding this can bring us out of thinking we have things under our control or that things are hopelessly beyond our control. Faith in God’s power is what motivates and moves us.

When we meditate on God’s power, we become acutely aware of our own weaknesses. However, it is through these weaknesses that God’s power is perfected. We can take solace in knowing that our limitations are part of a greater, infinite power. Any strength we perceive in ourselves pales in comparison to God’s power. When we see others wielding power, we must remember that it is insignificant next to God’s omnipotence. We should not fear but respect human power, always keeping in mind its insignificance compared to the divine. God’s power is always with us.