“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2Corinthians 12:9)
Paul wrote to the Corinthians his experience with his infirmity. There is a great truth in what he wrote. In this chapter, he tells of being caught up to heaven in a vision and revelation. (verses 1-4) But he doesn’t take glory in that, but rather glory in his infirmities. “Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.” (2Corinthians 12:5) Without an explanation, we think this is odd. And even with an explanation some still think this is strange.
He tells of an infirmity he has. And even today no scholar has determined what that infirmity was, if it was physical, mental or spiritual. Paul was not specific and evidently, no one that knew him even closely spoke of it. But suffice that it was an infirmity that he prayed for the Lord to remove three times. “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.” (2Corinthians 12:7-8) Here is a truth. Sometimes God allows affliction to come into our lives for His purposes. The affliction does not come from God, but God allows it much like He allowed Job’s affliction to show Job’s faithfulness to God. In Paul’s instance, it was to keep him from being proud of himself because of all the revelation God had shone him.
Paul prayed three times for it to be removed, but God had a response, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (verse 9) God’s unmerited favor is enough. When we go through affliction, we tend to focus on the affliction. But God’s grace in our lives, His comfort and His holy purposes are enough for us to withstand and tolerate the affliction. In His presence there is strength. We cannot withstand it in our own strength, but we can through Christ. When afflictions come to us, they immobilize us. We cannot complete God’s purposes. But, when we’re out of the way because we can’t, He will accomplish much, through us. We will do it in His strength. And who gets the glory? God does. He is the one Who enables and Who works through us in spite of the affliction. So, Paul writes that he takes glory in his affliction because when he is weak, God is able to accomplish much.
And that is the case with us. Many times, the Lord is not able to work because we go in our own strength and mess up what the Lord is trying to do with our words and actions. Move and say only what the Lord inspires through the Holy Spirit. Sit back and allow the Lord to work His glory. That is why Paul could say, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (verse 9) Paul goes even further and writes, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2Corinthians 12:10) When we are weak because of an affliction, Christ shows Himself strong and makes up for our weakness whatever that may be. How many times have we heard of a person who has been appointed to a task that’s totally out of his realm of knowledge, expertise and ability and he does a supernatural work. When we lean on the Lord for His strength, His knowledge and ability, the Lord will accomplish more than a knowledgeable expert could have.
About ministering the Gospel, Paul wrote: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” (2Corinthians 3:5) And that is the truth of the matter. We are not competent enough to do God’s work. We depend on Him to lead us and to accomplish what we cannot. And this can be in all matters.
There can be no greater affliction than persecution. When Jesus spoke about the Christian persecution that was to come, He advises, “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Matthew 10:19-20) Luke wrote in much more detail the last days Matthew wrote about. “Then said He unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:10-15)
And how do we find this grace Paul writes about, the grace that is sufficient to meet our need and the grace that is enough for us to work through whatever affliction may be in spirit, soul or body that may come our way? The author of Hebrews gives us the answer. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) It’s at the throne, before our Father. He alone can say to us that it will be alright. He alone has the right and the authority to claim peace for us in turbulent times, in sorrowful times and in desperate times. And He alone has the power to comfort us with His presence and assurance that He will be with us at every step, and it will be alright.
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