Text: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 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. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 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. 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.
Scripture is the lens through which we as believers are to view the world. Hold verse 9 up to your eyes and heart this morning, sister. Look through it onto your day, at your people, and at the “thorns” that may be plaguing you. Now what do you see?
Now, let’s write. Use a timer if that helps you. Don’t worry about it being pretty or profound. Just respond to all-sufficient grace. Agree with His power being made perfect in weakness. Ask questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to be near as you write, truly meditating on what you have read.
Go ahead. We’ll wait.
And now verse 10. Do you believe it? Maybe it would be helpful to jot down a few insults, hardships or calamities for the Lord to see. Lord, here they are. My persecution and my pain. Let’s look on them together. Lord, help me to see them the way Paul saw his thorns. Don’t take them away – be faithful, Lord, and use them to make me weak so that I can see your strength plainly – victoriously!
I think it is really interesting that Paul says the "thorn in his flesh" was given to him to keep him from "becoming conceited". It sounds like he really understands that when we are resting in our own strengths and abilities we are ineffective witnesses. I think we go through trials or have weaknesses for a lot of reasons, but one of the most important reasons is to keep us humble, to remind us that without God we wouldn't even have life, we are dependent on Him for everything!
To build on to the idea of God shining through our weakness, I want to remind you guys of an old tradition that the Japanese have. When pots or other objects are broken, they aggrandize the damage by filling in the cracks with gold. Now think of that gold as Jesus-light shining through to show the world how he has healed our brokenness. And to further that association, reference 2 Corinthians 4:7 where it equates our bodies to clay jars containing the extraordinary heart of Jesus. Nobody is going to see past our rough exterior to the Jesus-light in us until we are broken and weak, giving Him a chance to shine through!
I elaborate more in my blog ~> http://cecilycharles.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/agg…