2 Corinthians 13:9
“For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. And this we also pray for, even your perfecting.”
What does 2 Corinthians 13:9 mean?
Paul is expressing something counterintuitive here: he's genuinely glad when his own struggles or limitations exist alongside the spiritual strength of the people he cares for. This isn't false humility, but rather the perspective of someone whose deepest desire is for others to flourish, even if it means he stays in a difficult place himself. His prayer for them is for "perfecting," which means maturity and wholeness, completeness in their faith, not flawlessness but growth toward what they're meant to become. It's a beautiful picture of what real love looks like: the willingness to stay weak if it means others can grow strong.