So to keep me from becoming proud,
I was given a thorn in my flesh,
a messenger from Satan to torment me
and keep me from becoming proud.
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
Each 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.
That’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 12:7-10 (NLT)
God is so gracious to bring about circumstances in our lives
that bring us to the end of ourselves.
Only then are we in a position to receive. Their is only one stance of receptivity - on our
knees. When we have realized that we
have no power or control over our circumstances we finally come to the place
where we are humble enough to receive.
This is what happened to Paul. He kept struggling against his pain asking
God to take it from him, until God spoke to him, "Don't you realize, Paul, that I have
given you this thorn to bring you into a blessed state of humility where you
can receive everything you need. From
that place of submission all of my power can be released."
Only then Paul was able to let it go, to cast it all into
the hands of God, realizing that the
suffering and pain could not be compared with what God had in store for him. He
actually took pleasure in his sufferings.
His thorn became his blessing.
All of our sins, failures and shortcomings, all of our cares worries and
concerns, become the place where God can pour out an abundance of grace.
Lord, thank you for bringing us into this place of humility
where we can cast upon you all of our weaknesses, sins and troubles. Open the windows of heaven
today and pour our that abundance of grace and power that we need. Your grace is sufficient for me.
I will boast only about my weaknesses.
2 Corinthians 12:5 (NLT)
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