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!
In Order for me to have God’s power resting on me, I must learn that my weaknesses are here so that I can experience and understand God ‘s grace.
I won’t truly understand His grace until I know that His grace is enough for me, it is made perfect in my life as I come face to face with my weakness. Why don’t I ever see my weaknesses in this manner.
Thank you Diana and Lauren for your posts. My dad has been in and out of the hospital five times in the past month. He is 91! His birthday is in November. My mom and dad have been married 60 years. This has been a very difficult journey – especially for her. His health has been declining over the past year. I don’t think anyone is ready to lose a spouse/parent/loved one. But somehow it helps knowing that they will be in the loving arms of our Father… Whole and complete and like new. I miss the man my father was , but praise God for every day we have with him. Blessings to all.
6 years ago these verses were made alive in my life. I was in a head-on car accident that led to surgeries and a forever changed life. I had prayed God's will be done….that my desire was His desire for my life. And that all led to His grace is sufficient. I wish I could say that I have stayed the course of being strong in my weakness….but I can't. The first couple of years God helped me endure….and now…He is still here, but it's gotten tougher on me to rest in that grace that is sufficient. It's embarrassing to admit that especially since I would say I am a very strong Christian. I feel like my life has taken on this mundane cycle that's never ending…the slightest bit of activity takes all my strength and I want to be so much more for Christ than what I can physically handle. I am feeling like verse 7 …."a messenger of Satan is harassing me"….and yes I could see that I would need it since pride is an issue that I battle all the time.
All that to say….I need prayer…grace…endurance to keep on keeping on because my weakness is great. Lord, I'm a mess….I need Your strength to carry on….Your grace Is sufficient! Help me to remeber that.
(I hope that all made sense…sometimes my meds make my thinking jumbled)
You know, as I said in a reply earlier, I was having trouble getting this today, but I think I just did. I was trying to think of my thorns and thought of several small things, so it didn't hit me. these are just small things, really. but then, the biggest one came to me: My blindness. As a blind person, and maybe as any person with a disability, particularly being born with that disability, you are raised to believe you should act like that disability is never a problem, that it doesn't suck, in fact is great almost. but you know? Blindness truly sucks sometimes. And by admitting that, I can then go on to say, but jesus can work through the sucky parts, and his power can be made perfect! I hope I'm making sense.
I have been diagnosed with a hyperactive immune system which has caused the miscarriage in my first pregnancy. For 3yrs now we've been waiting for me to conceive again. My condition in being pregnant seems really complicated and I used to always have a discussion with God about it…. until He spoke to me through this verse. It really comforted me and helped me accept my condition believing everyday by Grace that He will do an extraordinary testimony about it! I don't know when, but I know that He will!
I have written about this in my blog a few months ago. I want to share it with you today. :)
http://steady-myheart.blogspot.com/2013_01_01_arc…
God bless sisters! :)
Wow. This really hit me hard this morning. The Lord has been speaking to me about this for the last month or so. For the last 3 years it seems like our family has been hit a lot-returning from a week of vacation to a flooded house, a hacked bank account, children’s illnesses (almost constant), needing surgeries, surprise twin pregnancy after we thought we were “done”, one twin has had many health issues since birth, now diagnosed with severe multiple food allergies, husband laid off from work, gutting a house, a move, still trying to sell old house and 2 weeks ago transmission died on our only car that fit our family of 8.
I was at a family camp where I heard this truth: they aren’t problems, they’re opportunities. Opportunities to trust Him, for growth, and to let His glory shine!
Lord, take all my pain, my self-wallowing, and continue to help me see them as Paul saw them! Continue to do Your work in me, mold me into Your image. If that means stripping me bare, Lord, I give it all to you, that You may shine even brighter through me. Draw me near to You.
I could not believe the scripture that appeared today in this devotion! I have really been battling a thorn for the last four weeks. I woke up way too early this morning with a heavy heart and all that kept coming to mind was “Let not your heart be troubled”-John 14:1 and “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU”! 2Cor. 12:9. I feel like Jesus has come and had a conversation with me this morning! I agree with Him that His grace is sufficient for me! I agree that His power is made perfect in my weakness! I know I am only who I am today because of His Grace! Not anything of my own. I rely completely on Him and I need a lot of Him! He knows my weakness and I pray I will see it/them as He sees it- COVERED BY HIS GRACE! Help me to see His Strength plainly and VICTORIOUSLY. Lord, let not my heart be troubled today! For when I am weak, you are strong!
I read today's Scripture in the Williams translation, so it expresses a few of the words differently. In v.9,"Grace" is translated as "spiritual strength" and where it says "my power is made perfect in weakness", this translation says, "it is only by means of conscious weakness that perfect power is developed."
This helped me to understand it better. I am trying to make this Scripture mine. I have a physical condition known as IBS, which is supposed to be alleviated by watching what foods I eat, but thus far nothing has helped. The Lord has given us many promises by which we can live our lives…is this one for me? "My spiritual strength " or Grace…"is sufficient". Thereby, "for when I am consciously weak that I am really strong".