Have you ever read a Scripture passage you’ve seen many times before, but one particular day it was so powerful and took on special meaning?
I recently experienced that blessing on the night before the launch of my second book, God’s Love Illuminated. I had been feeling peaceful all week after my Pastor prayed over me. Well, that peace lasted until that night when I laid awake for a long time. I began reading email devotions.
At 2:30 am, God used a Proverbs 31 devotion entitled “You Don’t Have to be Amazing” to minister to my spirit. It featured the following Scripture passage. In the thoughts the writer was sharing, the word “boast” was italicized and jumped out at 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. –2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)
What a powerful thought!
If we back up a few verses to better understand the context of this passage, Paul writes:
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. –2 Corinthians 12:7-8 (ESV)
We know from these passages Paul experienced some type of “thorn” in his flesh, though Scripture does not reveal what the affliction was. Maybe it was some physical ailment, or someone made his life miserable, or there was some sin in his life he just could not overcome.
Paul came to terms with the fact it was not the Lord’s will to remove this thorn in his life. He knew if the Lord allowed the affliction to be removed, he would be proud of himself thinking it was his power, not the Lord’s. With Paul having to deal with the thorn, God’s divine power would shine through. God’s grace, His divine power, is much greater than our human power. Paul knew he could actually boast in his weakness to show the power of God’s grace!
The same truth applies to our lives. In my situation, admitting to God my weakness in public speaking, I prayed that His grace and power would shine through me so I could boast in His goodness. In my own power, I was deficient, but with His grace filling me, I would have the victory.
As I was setting things up for the book launch waiting for people to arrive, I asked a friend to pray over me for good measure. I can honestly say I felt the Holy Spirit’s presence empowering me to speak clearly and slowly, as I shared my heart about the book. Yes, I can boast of God’s goodness with giving me the grace to be confident in my sharing. What a wonderful God we serve!
This week may you be encouraged to remember…
…God’s grace is greater than your weakness.
…to boast of God’s power working in you.
…God’s power gives you the ability to do His will in your life.
Can you please help write the ending to this reflection? Can you share a Scripture passage you've heard many times that on a particular day spoke to you? Feel free to share in the comment section below. Thanks.
Note: I will be taking a two-week break from posting reflections to spend quality time with my family. Feel free to visit the website and check out any archived posts. Happiest of holidays to you and yours~
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. –2 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV)
Last week Psalm 51:10 grabbed me in a way that it never has before. Later that day I was exploring the website of Paul Tripp and “just happened” to pick one of his videos where this passage was highlighted once again. It has become one of my morning prayers.
“Create in me a pure heart, Oh God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Merry Christmas, Christine. On that glorious summer day overlooking Canandiagua Lake, I met you and I praise God for that!
Thank you so much for sharing that Psalm that touched you powerfully recently, Karen! God makes me smile with the way He confirms things in our lives and with the way He orchestrates our footsteps. I, too, am grateful for that glorious summer day when our lives, two strangers, intersected. It is forever etched in my mind and heart. Continued blessings and happiest of holidays to you and your family! Thank you for faithfully reading. 🙂
Not many would think of weakness as something to boast about. Yet, that is precisely what Paul is speaking of in 2 Corinthians 12:9 when he wrote: ‘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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ And continuing on in 2 Corinthians 12:10 ‘For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’
What is quite interesting here is that Paul outlines as well as exhorts us to maintain a Christ like perspective, even if we find ourselves feeling weak and depleted in the very moment of facing a trial. Paul is highlighting with an emphasis that we ought to magnify Christ in any and every situation that appears to be unfavorable. For it is definitely not the problematic scenario that is larger than God, nor does it deserve to be magnified as such. For when a problem or issue is enlarged to be larger than life, we can run the risk of giving it more life and take away from the very life that God has intended for us to live and learn from. In other words, we inadvertently worship our problem or scenario when we need to worship God. Then, we end up putting that adverse situation on the throne which should only go to Our Heavenly Father.
The emphasis to boast in our weakness signifies our lack of strength within our own abilities. This same emphasis for boasting in our weakness identifies us as human, while insisting we have a need for a strength that can only come from God. Paul also gives a perfect example of our frail human condition by pointing out that we would become full of pride if we thought for one second we got through life’s trials of our own capabilities. Let it be stated for the record that we so desperately need those humbling, yet very trying experiences. Because as Paul points out clearly, IT IS IN OUR WEAKNESS THAT GOD’S POWER IS MADE PERFECT!
Tribulation or adversity never ever seems good in the moment that we are in the midst of it. Though, it’s these instances that something good is being produced as a result.
In some cases, adverse situations can often prompt adverse reactions within our very being. And, if we’re really honest with ourselves, we can admit that our first thoughts aren’t “gee, I really like this” or “this is wonderful”. That’s because our first inclination is based in our flesh and self never likes anything that comes in opposition to it.
But, on the contrary, these adverse scenarios are being used for our greater good. Sure it may not seem or even feel that way, but this life isn’t meant to be gone through by feelings, especially when we are in Christ. Now, this doesn’t mean that we are numb or that we’re supposed to ignore our feelings. It simply means that we aren’t supposed to allow our feelings dictate how we walk through the trials of life.
God’s Word says that we walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) And sure, it looks like a certain way in our minds eye, because our perception at times is wrapped up in the worlds view and even in the fleshly view and not in God’s view. The only way we are going to see clearly and think with clarity is when we align our focus and thoughts upon what God’s Word is instructing us to do.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NKJV)– ‘Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.’
In layman’s terms, our current world and physical bodies are dying. While our spirit man is being empowered and refreshed from the Holy Spirit who breathes His life into us on a daily basis. Our trials of adversity may be just for a moment (though, they seem to sometimes be lasting longer than we want or expect,) and they might feel like they are too much to bear. Yet the finished work of life’s afflictions is producing an eternal substance of glory we are not supposed to comprehend in the supernatural and this FAR OUTWEIGHS what we may think or feel in the natural.
In looking closer at this part of God’s Word, it is definitely clear that our focus and attention ought to be directed past what is on the surface. Sure, this might be easier said than done. However, our hope is not found in the temporary things of this world. The focal point needs to be on that which we cannot see, and our hope ought to be heaven bound, because it is the hope that is in Christ that will never disappoint, nor will it ever fade away.
Even at the very onset of 2 Corinthians 4:16, it reads: ‘Therefore we do not lose heart.’ Another way of putting it is: as a result of trials, we do not become disheartened or discouraged. The main reason we lose heart is because we get lost in our selves by losing sight and getting our attention off of God and onto our condition.
Our condition should never ever usurp God in His exalted position. Our condition is for a moment in time while God’s position is steadfast, immovable, and for all eternity. Our condition needs to bring us to a humble position into submission unto God and God alone.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11 (NKJV)– ‘But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.’
Interestingly enough, the whole onset of trials and adverse scenarios is to cause us to die to self in order that we might be more like Himself (Christ). The same can be said for weaknesses, because our frail humanity absolutely and positively needs a firm foundation to stand upon when the storms of life come our way. That firm foundation is Christ, because with Him we will have reassurance and secure footing that will not collapse in the midst of life’s storms.
James 1:2-4 (NKJV)–‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.’
The NIV version has the word PERSEVERANCE in place of the word ‘patience’. Indeed, we certainly do need all of the perseverance, patience and endurance that could possibly be mustered in order to make it to the other side of a grueling tempest (storm). Only God can provide the very amounts of durability that each of us so desperately need to not only brave the storms of life, but to also embrace the storms of life. Trials by fire might not necessarily be easy; however, the refining process that happens as a result is well worth it in the end.
Things to remember about adversity and weakness:
1. They are meant only for our good and should cause us to magnify God first and foremost.
2. They ought to remind us of our humanity and point us to seek God for His Strength, rather than attempting to go through life on our own.
3. The final product of these is what God uses to mold and shape us into being less like our self and more like Himself.
4. Though they might be challenging, God is with us every step of the way.
The encouragement here is to continue to set our sights to higher heights, because in this life, we so desperately need Christ. May we all cling to the true hope that is found only in Him to lead us to be more like Him, no matter what this life might bring our way. Shalom.
Thank you so much for reading and sharing, Christopher. I appreciate the wisdom and explanations you shared. Perfect! God bless.