2 Corinthians 12:6-10
But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
In this passage Paul is refocusing our perspective when he quotes the Lord, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” All too often my perspective is off. But, true power is in weakness. Setting aside the self for the other. Setting aside the self for the sake of the Gospel. Sometimes we even go so far as to see brokenness as a failure of God. “Why isn’t God fixing that brokenness?” But, the reality is that God is in our brokenness. God in Christ is in our weakness.
William Sloane Coffin who was the Senior Pastor of Riverside Church in New York and was one of my favorite preachers writes,
“The world, of course, is in a frightful mess, but because of us, not because of God. God could only clean up the mess by taking away our freedom. But without freedom where could love be? So paradoxically, it is because God is a loving God that there is so much suffering in the world. But because God is a loving God he is suffering too, and suffering also through the bodies of souls of his creatures, which is why Paul writes, ‘For while we live we are always given up to death for Jesus’ sake.’”
So, in the very midst of our weakness we find the power of God and are freed to set our desire for power down. In that is strength.
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Tim
Comments