My grace is enough for you
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 CORINTHIANS 12:9,10
Some people read the apostle Paul’s testimony here and think it sounds like a death wish. Why in the world does he say this? He says it because, despite all these painful experiences in his life, God has a purpose in it. God spoke to Paul’s heart and said, “My grace is sufficient for you.” God was saying that every difficult time, every weakness, reproach, need, persecution, and distress is an opportunity for Him to manifest sufficient grace. But you won’t get the grace until you get there. And when you do, His strength is perfected in your weakness. When you go through these kinds of trials, you become dependent on Him. What do you believe in God for that only He can do, so that when He does it, He gets all the credit? There are issues in life, such as the suffering Paul was enduring, that only God can alter, and when He does, you know He did it. Suffering, then, is a way for God to display His grace and power. Embrace weakness. No one is too weak to be powerful. Embrace the suffering and see the grace and strength of God perfected in it.