Perfected in Weakness

'the following post is written by a good friend of mine whose heart for God is inspiring.'


“Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me...” 2 Cor. 12:8

Have you ever been there?Afflicted,worn out, running ragged? The apostle Paul can relate. Besides the 39 lashes 5 times, being beaten with rods 3 times, being shipwrecked and spending a day and a night in the sea, Paul had a “thorn in the flesh.” It was a gnawing, obsessive kind of frustration—have you been there?

In order to live abundantly like Paul did, we need discernment. We need to grow up in the faith and in our intimacy with Christ. What will do this? Prayer. Paul said, “three times” he prayed. Does this strike you in any way? He is very intentional about mentioning “three times”. Why not five? Why not ten? Here’s why—after three times God broke through! Jesus Himself, the mighty conquering King said to Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Have you given up praying for God to heal you? Why? Have you despaired? Remember, we always have hope in Christ! Paul prayed until the Lord spoke to Him and taught Him something—that He was not going to heal him this time. God the healer said no. No Paul. No. Let that sink in…

Paul goes on to teach us how he responded. It was interesting. Not angry, not bitter, not losing his faith in God’s power to heal. He learned to say yes to God’s no. Listen to these words...

'Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, 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.'

So how about you? What are you suffering for Christ’s sake? Have you talked with Him? Have you worked through it? Did the Holy Spirit give your heart a yes, or a no?

Keep pressing in to Him. Don’t give up! God will give you discernment if you ask. And when the time comes you will know if it is for Christ’s sake that you have suffered; that you have shared in His suffering, and you will be like Him. O, to be like Him! May we ever be.