Strength in time of weakness

So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

From our text, the Apostle Paul expressed what every believer should be doing when they realized that trusting ones strength is a hindrance to trusting in Christ. Paul was a strong willed person but he knew that God could only use him when he becomes reliant upon God’s working through his life. When God told him, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness,” this meant that real comfort and strength could be found in God’s grace alone. There are times that our tendency is to depend more on our abilities to handle difficulties in life assuming that we can handle them without any help from God. This is what Paul did at beginning of his ministry when he with dealt challenges in the ministry. There were times when he relied on his abilities and strength only to find that all the things he accomplished were rubbish before God. He bravely faced persecutions as he traveled to many places to reach people for Christ. Yet, there was a moment in his life where he relied more on his instincts following his own desires despite the warning given by the Holy Spirit. “These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem” (Acts 21:4). Later on when he was confronted with an affliction the only place he can run is to God’s throne of grace. He asked God to remove the affliction referred to as a thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7). The thorn in the flesh made him humble and to trust God completely. In spite of God using him mightily in several instances to perform incredible miracles, he could not remove the affliction that God had given him. Instead, he realized that he can depend on God even with this affliction. All he knew was every time he felt weak because of the affliction, the more he becomes strong because he relies on God’s strength working in him. Do not let your reliance upon your own strength hinders you from trusting God. God will not allow His children to be filled with pride that they will not surrender to His will. He will bring you to a point of weakness if that is what it takes to bring you to trust in Him. So when you feel that you are weak, let that weakness lead you to trust in God’s strength. Paul realized when he acknowledged his weakness, God’s divine power is manifested. When God’s power is displayed in our lives when we come out strong during times of trials, God is glorified.

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman

www.my-wbc.com

Sermon on YouTube channel: WestsideBCLA