EVERWEST DEVOTIONAL #16 | Strength in Weakness
Scripture
“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 12:7-10 (NIV)
Reflection
As I’ve been receiving final product samples (which, with heavy bias, look incredible BTW) and not-so-patiently awaiting inventory to arrive, I’ve been reflecting on the origins of Everwest. Looking back, I see something humbling: God didn’t call me to start Everwest when I was spiritually strong. He called me when I was spiritually immature, prideful, greedy, and chasing the wrong things.
At that time in 2023, I called myself a Christian, but I wasn’t living like one. My faith was more of a label than a lifestyle. I wasn’t rooted in Scripture and in fact, I barely knew it. I wasn’t pursuing intimacy with God. I was pursuing success, status, and money.
The idea for Everwest came to me suddenly in the middle of the night. I didn’t recognize it as the Holy Spirit then. I thought it was my creativity, my brilliance. Those next few months, I would stay up late sketching the business plan with a couple drinks, convincing myself the inspiration and creativity was coming from the buzz. I took full credit for what I now clearly see was God’s hand.
And if I’m honest, I didn’t start Everwest for noble reasons. I told myself it was about craftsmanship, western lifestyle and self-expression, but underneath I knew it was about greed and pride. It started with a desire to build something impressive, profitable, and self-made. Pridefully, I wanted success. I wanted recognition. I wanted financial gain. I wanted to build a business that put my name on the throne. Even though God planted the seed, my hands tried to shape it for my own glory.
But here’s the beautiful part: God met me there.
He didn’t wait for me to clean up my motives. He didn’t wait for my heart to be pure. He stepped into my sin and used it. He used my greed to start something that would eventually expose my greed. He used my pride to build something that would humble me. He used my ambition to draw me into surrender.
As Everwest developed, He was developing me. As the brand took shape, He was reshaping my heart. In the middle of that transformation, His words in 2 Corinthians became real to me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” He didn’t remove my weakness overnight. He showed me that His grace was enough to work through it.
What began as a pursuit of wealth has become a pursuit of obedience. What began as self-driven ambition has become a desire to be Spirit-led. The same business that was once about my name is now being surrendered to His. God didn’t just transform me, He transformed the purpose behind Everwest.
Today, my prayer is no longer “How big can this become?” but “Lord, how do You want to use this?” The goal is no longer status or success, but faithfulness. What started in pride and greed is now being rebuilt on surrender and trust. And that transformation didn’t happen because I became stronger, it happened because His grace was sufficient, and His power was made perfect in my weakness.
When I was weak, lost in pride, driven by greed, that’s when He was strongest.
God truly works in ways we don’t expect. He meets us in our sin, not to leave us there, but to rescue us from it. His power is made perfect in our weakness.
Application
1. Where in your life might you be seeking knowledge about God without fully pursuing a relationship with Him? What would it look like to slow down and invite Him into that space?
1. Where in your life has God met you in your weaknesses or even your sin, using it for His greater plan?
2. Are there areas of pride, selfishness, or worldly ambition where you are trying to take credit instead of surrendering to God’s grace?
3. How can you invite God to work through your current weaknesses to reveal His power and draw you closer to Him?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for meeting us exactly where we are, even in our sin, our pride, and our selfish desires. Help us to remember that Your grace is sufficient, and that Your power is made perfect in our weakness. Teach us to surrender our ambitions and our plans to You, trusting that You can use even our mistakes and weaknesses for Your glory. Open our eyes to see how You are at work in our lives, and give us courage to follow wherever You lead, knowing that You can transform even our failures into something beautiful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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- Jake Bunz, Founder
PRODUCT LAUNCH COMING SOON 🤠
