Day 3: Grateful for the Common and the Amazing!
8Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
As we focus being grateful for the “common and the amazing,” we can think that it’s only the amazing that happened in biblical times, so no wonder they had so much for which to be grateful! That’s why in today’s Scripture we turn to the life of the Apostle Paul and his “thorn in the flesh.” Paul had been granted an amazing vision of heaven. He saw things that no one this side of heaven has ever seen. As a result, and in order that he would not become proud, he received a “thorn in the flesh.” We don’t know what this “thorn” was—whether a physical affliction, a mental affliction or what. Many scholars have speculated as to the nature of the disorder down through the millennia, but suffice it to say that Paul didn’t enjoy it, and asked THREE separate times for the Lord to take it away. Remember this is the Apostle Paul. God worked many miracles through Paul and used Paul to lead countless thousands of people into the Kingdom. We would expect that God would grant Paul’s prayer in order that he could continue his ministry with greater effectiveness. Instead, each time the Lord said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Did you get that? God said, “NO!” to the healing Paul desired—the amazing miracle we have seen take place in so many other biblical situations. Paul’s response to this, “NO!” is amazing, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul was grateful for the opportunity to suffer. Paul was grateful for something that seems all too common in our world—pain and weakness. When we face weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles it is NOT our first response to say, “THANKS, God!” But over time, as we understand that God’s ways are not our ways, we come to realize that sometimes it is the difficulties in our lives that demonstrate God’s power in our lives. In those times we turn to Him, and sometimes the result is an amazing miracle, while at others the result is grace sufficient to get through the struggle. I’m grateful that Paul included this record of his suffering for us. Otherwise, I might think that when I don’t get an amazing miracle from God every time I pray, that it was my lack of faith, or some hidden sin that caused the lack of response, when in reality it may be God’s way of leading me to rely more fully on him!
Questions and Comments for Reflection and Action:
What struggles are you enduring right now, that are opportunities for God’s power to be shown in your weakness?
Thank God right now, for his strength in your weakness!