Thursday, May 18, 2017

II Corinthians 12

II Corinthians 12:1-10

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."  II Corinthians 12:9

The apostle Paul had an affliction or infirmity of some kind.  The precise nature of this infirmity that plagued Paul's life is uncertain.  Paul called his affliction in II Corinthians 12:7b "a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."  It would seem as if the "thorn" that Paul experienced in his life was significant.  Paul went on to say in II Corinthians 12:8, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me."

God's answer to Paul's prayer in II Corinthians 12:9 was "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  God was telling Paul that His love and kindness would be enough for Paul.  The Lord was telling Paul that with the Lord's strength in his life Paul would be able to bear the "thorn" in his life.

The "thorn" of affliction in Paul's life had been given to him to keep him humble.  It was given to Paul to keep him from self-reliance and to cause him to rely on the Lord alone for strength.  The Lord's strength and grace in Paul's life would be sufficient.  Because Paul was willing to accept God's will in not removing the "thorn" from his life, Paul experienced the Lord's blessing.  Even the "thorn" became a blessing to Paul!  Paul's "thorn" or weakness enabled Paul to experience the Lord's strength in his life.  God's strength was more clearly exhibited and completed in Paul's weaknesses!

God sometimes allows problems and afflictions in our lives also.  The Lord does not always remove every affliction and problem that we ask Him to remove from our lives.  He will instead give us the grace that we need to live victoriously in spite of those problems.  The Lord's grace is sufficient for every circumstance and need.  Only as we lose our dependence on self and avail ourselves of the Lord's strength do we become dynamic instruments in the Lord's hand. Sometimes the Lord allows afflictions and trials in our lives to keep us close to Him and dependent on Him.  Relying and resting on the Lord's strength brings glory and honor to the Lord. Trials are in this way turned to blessing and triumph in our lives!

Paul went on to say in II Corinthians 12:9b-10, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Through Paul's affliction Christ became increasingly real to him.  Through his trials Paul grew in his personal love relationship with the Lord.  Paul was willing to endure his affliction the rest of his life; if it would better display the power, presence, and glory of the Lord in his life.  Paul even delighted in his afflictions, because he knew they were bringing about favorable results in his life. He also knew they were bringing greater glory to the Lord.  Paul knew that his weakness in his own human strength resulted in a greater flow of the Lord's strength in him.

We also can glory and delight in our trials and weaknesses.  It is in our weakness that the power of our Lord is most clearly displayed.  The Lord can not use our foolish attempts at self-reliance. When we depend on the Lord and His strength alone, however, we can be used in powerful ways for the glory of the Lord.  Let it be our passion to rely on the Lord's all-sufficiency, power, and grace alone!


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