Grace & weakness

"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 weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

This verse is very near and dear to my heart - and Daniel's - because it's one God placed on hearts when Maggie was born. His grace is sufficient for us, not only when we're weak, but particularly when we're weak. Our sermon was on the first 10 verses of this chapter, in fact much of what I'm about to discuss is from notes I jotted down during the sermon.

In our culture, weakness is definitely a four-letter word. But our weakness humbles us- so that we can boast in nothing or no one but the Lord- humility is God-dependence, pride is me dependence. Everybody struggles with something, we all have problems and we need that to check our imperfection and mortality and need for an almighty savior. We can all remember that whatever struggle has, is or will come our way will be used for His glory and our humility.

These trials and weaknesses are what draws us closer to God. Go to Him in prayer and ask him to ease your pain, it's okay to do that, he wants us to. Just remember, he may not answer the way you want him to or in the timeframe you've set forth in your mind. That's big! And one of the hardest things for me to accept and remember. Sometimes I just want my prayer answered, but God is not a genie and he doesn't grant our wishes or make our lives easy.  It's not about us!!! We are called here to glorify God regardless of our circumstances not expect Him to take our problems away-- we live in a fallen, sinful world. Paul, the author of this letter to Corinth, is discussing here how he asked God three times to remove a stake from him (a physcial pain/problem of some sort, we're not sure exactly what) and God told him no. Paul, one of the great apostles, author of many books in New Testament, was told no! We don't and can't always know God's purpose behind something- even a struggle or weakness in our life- but it will be for our good and His glory.

It is inevitable that we will have pain and weakness and God does not promise to deliver us from that - Jesus was not delivered from crusifixion and thank God because now we're saved! What God does promise is that he will give us the grace to handle it. Go before the presence of God in the midst of your suffering and though he may not remove the thorn, he will give you relief- the power and strength to handle the pain. You see we don't need these things- financial security, healing, a husband, a wife, a baby, a job, a car, anything- what we really need is God and He is enough. This is one of the hardest lessons to learn but it's the most important. It's not easy because we are of the flesh, but it's important.

So what is God using in your life to show your weaknesses? Are you going to rely on yourself and the world or the Creator of you, the heavens and the earth?

**I think it's important to say this is the first service I've been able to sit through in a long time. I prayed before church that God would remove any distractions and I could focus on His word for one hour. And he did answer. Because I needed to hear this.