“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9a NASB) These were the words the Lord spoke to Paul when he implored Him three times that his “thorn in the flesh” might be taken away. If we could understand this precious truth, we could learn to let His power be perfected in us as well. What hope there is in these words!
We are beset with weaknesses in this life. Whether it be illness, physical limitations, frailty, or feelings of inadequacy and helplessness, we struggle mightily at times. It is easy to get discouraged. We sometimes wonder if God has abandoned us. We sometimes wonder if God sees and cares about our struggles. Take heart! The Lord knows all about our struggles. The Lord has not abandoned us. But sometimes He allows us to go through trials so that we will learn that power is perfected in weakness.
God allows His people to go through struggles so that we will learn to rely on His power. If we will look to the Lord when we are weak, He will teach us how to draw from His strength. It is when we are weak that the power of Christ really dwells in us. As Paul wrote in the same passage, “…Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9b-10) How could Paul say that he would glory in his weaknesses? How could he say that he is content with weakness, insults, distress, and the like? These are not thoughts that occur naturally to our human minds. But Paul had learned—as we need to learn—that when we are weak, then we are strong!
May the Lord help us to rejoice when we face difficulties in life. May the Lord help us not only to get through our trials, but to learn to be content in them, because we know that in our weakness, we can find true strength from Him.
—Scott Colvin
Posted by Scott Colvin 
