“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

As I continue to be in between studies, having wrapped up my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today builds on posts from the previous two days focusing on suffering - and today the devotional looks specifically at how our weakness reveals God's worth.  Piper start by sharing what for many, including Christians, might be a sobering thought: "God’s design for suffering is that it should magnify Christ’s worth and power. This is grace, because the greatest joy of Christians is to experience Christ magnified in our lives."  In 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 Paul describes how God gave him a thorn in the flesh" and Paul pleaded with God to remove it and God responds in 2 Corinthians 12:9a. Piper then further explains, using 1 Corinthians 1:29 that "[i]f we feel and look self-sufficient, we will get the glory, not Christ. So, Christ chooses the weak things of the world...[a]nd sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker so that the divine power will be the more evident." Piper then wraps the devotion by ensuring we are encouraged by Paul's response to God's grace - that Paul boasts of his weaknesses such that God get the glory as His power and grace is evidenced in Paul's life (see also 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10).  We are also urged to see how our faith means "being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace for me - in all things - thank You Jesus for how You have never left or forsaken me...through all of the challenges and trials.  I am not deserving of how You love and bless me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love other as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouse to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

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 weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12

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

I paused my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which focuses on how our suffering and weakness reveals God's strength and glory.  Paul had his famous "thorn in his flesh" and he pleaded (v8) with God to remove it (see more on Paul's thorn in his flesh), but God let it remain and God told him why He left the thorn in Paul's flesh. God wants us to depend on Him, and it is during hard times and with our "thorns in the flesh" when we depend on Him the most.  We experience and see God's grace when we depend on Him - it becomes evident.  Piper writes that "sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker so that the divine power will be the more evident." Piper urges us to be content during "weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities." God, please help me be content during such experiences. 

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, Jesus, You are amazing and Your grace IS sufficient - now and during all times - of course during those times when I am weak.  I have experienced Your grace during such times - thank You Jesus.  I am undeserving of such grace.  My sin continues and I often fail to trust and be content during such times.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[T]hrough many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Acts 14

[T]hrough many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on how God often denies a prayer for grace yet responds with another form of grace that we are unable to perhaps see in the moment but able to see later in hindsight.  We should understand that from the Fall (Genesis 3), human existence moved from the perfection of the Garden of Eden, to a world full of sin and hardship. Jesus tells us in the gospel of John (John 16:33) how we are to expect hardship but that we will overcome (ultimately) anything hardship we experience. In today's post, Piper emphasizes how we are to see grace in the form of denied prayer - we don't know God's ways or thoughts (Isaiah 55:8) - but we do know that for those who love God, He works all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). Piper refers us to 2 Corinthians 12:9 where Paul shares how God denied his request to remove a "thorn":

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 weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Let us pray that we can mindful of how God works in and through our weakness to accomplish great things. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has poured out an indescribable amount of grace on my life - of course when I am undeserving and also when I cannot even recognize it in the face of suffering.  Thank You Jesus!  I AM not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Exodus 1-3

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Moses: A Glimpse of God's Glory*".

*Title of lesson four from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day two starts with Max Lucado pointing out Moses' resistance to God's call that Moses confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses did not feel up to the task and he did not see how God's power would reign in and through him in the task given him.  Of course with such a tall task, this is understandable.  We are encouraged to compare and contrast Moses' initial reaction with that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednago from the Book of Daniel and how they were to be thrown into the furnace unless they renounced their faith in God (they were instead ordered to worship King Nebuchadnezzar) - they did not and God saved them from the fiery ordeal. God eventually demonstrates His power to Moses by turning Moses' walking stick into a snake then back into a walking stick - this same rod is the same one used by God to both confront Pharaoh and part the Red Sea. Lucado wants us to see how we are not to focus on our strength or abilities - but instead on God and His power.  I am reminded of Paul's words.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has strengthened me in my weakest moments and You continue to strengthen me and equip me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin continues - including worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

2 Corinthians 11

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. v30

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 (and he continues in chapter 12), Paul writes of his sufferings on behalf of his ministry for Christ.  He does so because according to John Piper, "suffering is essential" for believers as this is the only "path to glorification [of God]" and if you are to minister to others. 

Paul crystallizes the essential nature of suffering:

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Our weakness bring us to God, on whom we depend for all things, and it is through our dependence on God where we draw strength - strength that is divine.

See also this post "Five Truths About Christian Suffering".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is with me - every day and every moment - thank You Jesus for being with me during both the good times and especially during those times when I am weak.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin weighs heavily and it is great - please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be broken.

1 Samuel 2

It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be broken. v9-10

The Lord blessed Hannah with a son and her response is appropriate - she willingly submits Samuel to the Lord, recognizing that God has great plans for Samuel; and in chapter 2 she praises God for what He has done in this amazing prayer.

I am touched this morning by verse 9-10 because I often rely on my own strength to see myself through difficult situations.  I must recognize that it is through faith alone that we draw strength.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

 

 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

 

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68:19

 

The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. Habakkuk 3:19

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of love, patience, understanding, compassion, etc. - slow to anger and abounding in love - INDEED!  I am grateful for You God - that You would love me and rescue me - just as I am.  Yet I know I am undeserving.  I am full of worry and harshness for others - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty.

Psalm 93

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty. v4

Strength is an attribute that this desired from a worldly perspective, yet we often overlook the strength of God.  I am reminded of the current sermon series from my church "Jesus is Stronger" - here.

God is able and He wants us to have faith and trust in Him and His ability to overcome all of our fears, concerns, worries, doubts, etc.  When we do this, we are able to accomplish His work via His will for our lives.  We become less and He becomes more.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

My Prayer: Lord, there is no doubt that You are stronger...than anything else we can encounter in this world.  You defeated both sin and death and You provide the Holy Spirit, which is the same power that rose You from the grave.  Thank You Jesus for providing Your Spirit to us, for being with us as advocate and counselor.  I am deeply grateful for how You provide not only the Holy Spirit, but Your Word, the church, and my brothers and sisters in Christ...all to help me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessings Jesus because I am weak and easily distracted.  I neglect Your power and fail to draw near to You.  I often seek things of this world before You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. v9-10

There have certainly been times recently where I have felt weak...almost assuredly I can say that I have also seen Christ's power, particularly with respect to the extent to which our brothers and sisters in Christ have so graciously supported Lisa and myself have experience prayers, love, and support as Lisa goes through cancer treatment.

1 Corinthians 12 and Paul's discussion of unity in the church.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You indeed are a great God!  Lisa and I are overwhelmed in a positive way with all of the support and love our brothers and sisters in Christ have provided over the past month or so...You church works in amazing and awesome ways!  Thank You Jesus!  Forgive me for my laziness and disobedience.  I am weak.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please cure Lisa and give her comfort.  Help me serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.