Delightful Difficulties

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weaknesses.” 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. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Whether being persecuted, imprisoned, or both, and even with a “thorn in my flesh”, Paul delighted in his difficulties.  How can that be?  Why would anyone delight in hardships?  Because Paul understood that God’s grace was all he needed to endure everything down here.  Paul understood that God’s strength and will was working through his weaknesses.  His weaknesses actually made him stronger because of the dependance he had to rely on from God.  God’s power is shown through Paul’s weaknesses making him a very useful tool for God’s glory.  Because Paul relied on God’s supernatural power, his own natural weaknesses became bearable.  Paul had been a persecutor of Christians and had experienced a transformative awakening on the Damascus Road and was converted instantly.  He went from Saul, the Christian executioner, to Paul, the one God favored.  Paul understood that God gave him the gift of grace, unmerited favor, by dying on the cross for him while He was a wretched murderer and sinner.  He understood He did not deserve the grace God showed Him.  He knew this and it rocked his world.  But to keep Paul humble, God allowed a “thorn in the flesh”; which is never really disclosed to us other than a pain, or hindrance that we know Paul asked God to take from him numerous times and God’s answer was no.  So instead, Paul boasted of his weaknesses because he understood that is when Christ’s power becomes obvious.  Visible to others.  Felt by us in our weaknesses.  A testimony for others to see.  Our weaknesses bring Him glory when we seek God.  When we seek God through insults, we show the power of kindness and self-control by holding our tongues.  By delighting in our struggles while trusting God and praising Him we are being the best witnesses we can be for Him.  ~ Amen