Jehovah often chooses to accomplish His will through weak, foolish, broken vessels (1Co 1:27); He generally hides out here, in weakness, and goes largely unnoticed. Sometimes it frustrates me, but I’m starting to see wisdom and beauty in it.
Would I prefer a more obvious God, promptly punishing evil and rewarding good, constantly working miracles, leaving no doubt about His existence or nature? But this isn’t typically His way; He chooses subtlety, doing the amazing under cover of loss. (2Co 13:4)
If God never let His enemies feel like they were getting away with anything, would they ever act like enemies? What would we know about Him, others or ourselves?
Satan flaunts his power (2Th 2:9) because he’s weak by comparison; YHWH will destroy him by breathing on him … through His nose (Job 4:9); His very brightness destroys His foes. (2Th 2:8) In accomplishing His will from the shadows He seems all the more glorious to me.
God calls us to be strong (1Co 16:13); we shouldn’t deliberately choose weekness as a manner of life (Pr 24:5), but we should indeed rejoice when He ordains weakness for us (2Co 12:10), for here is where His strength is perfected (2Co 12:9), in those who’re weak in themselves, helpless, vulnerable through no fault of their own. (Ps 8:2)