In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul writes about having been tormented by a certain thorn in his flesh. Exactly what or who that thorn was, we can only speculate. But Paul does share with us something much more important:
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 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” (verses 8-10).
Paul learned something very important: God’s grace—which he bestows on us through his faithfulness to his own Word, his love for us in Christ, and his abiding presence through the Holy Spirit—strengthens us. Have you been tormented by a certain thorn lately? Your health? A certain relationship? Some kind of hardship? Hear God’s promise again: “My grace is sufficient for you...”
Find rest this week by being reminded of the elements of his grace that give strength, courage, and joy.
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