Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
My words…
Praise
Father, when I lift my heart to You in prayer, I intentionally use my first words as words of praise and exultation. They are my “first fruit” words that I lay at your feet, acknowledging Your ability and willingness to answer my petitions, forgive my short-comings, and accept my thanksgiving. But, today I am unsure how to praise You. Your chosen apostle, Your tireless servant, humbly entreated You to comfort him from a chronic, physical ailment or deficiency that plagued him every waking hour. You allowed this thorn, this tormenting message from Satan, to weaken Paul and cause him to cry out to You three times. Your answer each time? No. I have prayed to You to guide my thoughts to understand what You want me to learn from Paul’s prayers. And I think the key word for me to ponder is weakness. I don’t find any enjoyment in thinking about my weaknesses. Who does? As humans, we have conquered, built, invented, and explored not from a foundation of weakness, but in a belief that strength is the key to success. So, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that You would work through our weaknesses to grow more reliant on You. Your ways are opposed to the ways of the world. It pains me to read about Paul’s entreaties. He had suffered so much in Your name: beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment. Yet You knew his faith and reliance on You would only grow stronger if he remained tormented by the “thorn.” His weakened body was the perfect vessel in which You chose to work. And he gladly accepted Your answer to his prayer. His weakness made him strong, and You needed a strong Paul. At times, Your ways are difficult and painful to endure. Praise be to the God of heaven who knows to use our weaknesses to make us strong. We wouldn’t have figured it out on our own.
Prayer for me
Lord, I need to trust You more. I have placed at Your feet petitions for me and for others, and You have answered in the same way You answered Paul: No. Then I wonder: Do You hear me? Do You care? You have shown me, through Paul, that negative answer to prayer is Your way of growing my faith and my resolve to depend upon You. Like Paul, I want Christ’s power to reside in me. This is my earnest prayer.
Forgive me
It is hard to admit that, after all these years, I still wonder if You hear me. What a faithless child I am. Forgive my lack of faith. I read about the Apostle Paul, and I am awed by his acceptance of Your will in his life. I know in my heart that Paul’s level of faith is not out of reach for me. Pardon my unwillingness to desire a life where my weaknesses and my discomfort are the way to a stronger faith in You.
Prayer for others
Lord, You know how many suffer from various thorns in the flesh. So many. Our bodies are susceptible to the prick and pain of various kinds of thorns. Some are facing surgery tomorrow morning. Many are receiving treatments, leaving them weak and anxious. Others know their moments on this earth are but a few. Lord, I am saddened by those I know who are suffering, but I pray You will use their weakness to grow their faith. I pray that even in the middle of pain, You will give them the strength to smile and turn their face upward to You in a show of submission and praise.
Thanksgiving
Thank you for the lessons You teach through Your holy words. They are hard lessons, but I can learn them from no one else. Thank you for being the God who loves me enough to teach me the only way that’s worth living.
More Praise
You are a mighty, strong God who yearns to see me grow through my weakness. You are the giver of grace. Your grace is sufficient. Your grace is enough.
