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9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV
When troubles mount and we feel overwhelmed and things seem not to change, God tells us that His Grace is sufficient. And it is.
The Physical Situation
Earlier in chapter twelve, especially in the verse preceding this one, we read that Paul has prayed three times for the thing that troubled him physically.
He wanted it over and done with.
He wanted it gone.
His was a prayer for healing. No doubt, Paul wanted full and immediate healing.
Have you been there yourself? Have we not all been there at some point? Perhaps, many times?
Paul had, no doubt, been concerned and troubled about his ailment for a while. He has come to God three times and three times has found himself still suffering from the ailment.
Our Situation
Biblical scholars have long debated what that ailment was. We have some guesses only, as Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly what Paul’s trouble was. Perhaps, that is because it doesn’t really matter what the specifics were.
Maybe, we can more easily fill in our trouble or ailment on the dotted line, so to speak, if we don’t know Paul’s precise difficulty.
Our particular and unique situation, like Paul’s exact need, must be handed over to God in trust.
The outcome is up to God for His glory.
Reassurance
God gave Paul a response of reassurance.
God had been listening. He was fully aware of Paul’s situation and concerns.
He was not unaware of the pain and struggle that Paul was enduring.
God’s Grace is Enough
God tells him that His grace is enough for him and for us.
His Strength is perfect and is seen in our weaknesses.
Somehow, the realization that our illnesses, troubles, perplexities, and anguish are viewed and understood by God is comforting.
There is comfort even when there is a greater purpose than our immediate healing.
Let’s read that one again.
There is comfort even when there is a greater purpose than our immediate healing.
He Knows Our Struggle
In Paul’s case, and in ours, there is the powerful fact that in our weaknesses, the power of Christ comes to rest upon us.
The word rest gives the sense of the abiding of Christ’s power upon us.
Therefore, it is not a fleeting thing.
He knows our struggles and our difficulties, our pain and our sorrow, and perhaps, just perhaps, others will see us faithfully struggling on despite our difficulties as we witness and serve God.
Perhaps, your faith during anguish will inspire someone else who is tempted to complain or despair or lose faith.
The Power of Christ
Might it be that they will look upon you faithfully carrying on, and be inspired to continue on themselves?
Paul realizes that it is better to have his infirmities so that the power of Christ will rest upon him.
Further, Paul even says that he will boast about his own weaknesses as he glories in the power of Christ on him.
May God help us, should we be called to do the same, for the glory of Christ and His Kingdom.