2 Corinthians 12:7-10
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.
God delights in paradoxes, and one of the paradoxes of life is that our strengths can be weaknesses, and our weaknesses can be strengths. Often we find ourselves more vulnerable to temptation when we think we are strong, whereas when we acknowledge our weakness we do a better job of avoiding temptation. As Paul says in verse 10, "When I am weak, then I am strong". Earlier in verses 8 Paul says that he "pleaded with the Lord about this [thorn], that it should leave me". Often I have similarly pleaded with God to take away my problems and weaknesses. But God doesn't magically take away our difficulties. Instead, God says that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (verse 9). In other words, God can use our sexual weaknesses for His glory, if we let Him.
Lord, I confess to trying to hide and minimize my weakness. Help me to accept being weak, and may Your power be displayed in my weakness.
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.
God delights in paradoxes, and one of the paradoxes of life is that our strengths can be weaknesses, and our weaknesses can be strengths. Often we find ourselves more vulnerable to temptation when we think we are strong, whereas when we acknowledge our weakness we do a better job of avoiding temptation. As Paul says in verse 10, "When I am weak, then I am strong". Earlier in verses 8 Paul says that he "pleaded with the Lord about this [thorn], that it should leave me". Often I have similarly pleaded with God to take away my problems and weaknesses. But God doesn't magically take away our difficulties. Instead, God says that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (verse 9). In other words, God can use our sexual weaknesses for His glory, if we let Him.
Lord, I confess to trying to hide and minimize my weakness. Help me to accept being weak, and may Your power be displayed in my weakness.