Our Weakness - His Grace

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

God often uses our weaknesses to strengthen and refine us spiritually. The apostle Paul experienced this truth through what he called “a thorn in the flesh.” While we don’t know the nature of his infirmity, we do know the reason it was given. Within Paul’s life was a temptation to become prideful over all he had learned and received spiritually.

God used a physical weakness to sharpen Paul’s spiritual focus. Three times the apostle beseeched God to remove his suffering, and three times God told him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

Our weakest moments are but opportunities for God to reveal His greatest truths to our hearts. His objective in allowing these times is never to destroy us but to bring us to a wondrous point of total dependence on Him. God used the negative circumstance of Paul’s life to achieve the greatest results - glorification of Jesus Christ. Learn to respond prayerfully to times of weakness.

Ask God to show you the purpose for what you are facing and give you His wisdom and strength to handle the situation according to His will for your life.

“In all thy fiery trials, His presence is both thy comfort and safety.” -C.H. Spurgeon