The Context
To understand what Paul is saying about God’s grace, we must look at the whole paragraph: 2nd Corinthians: 7-10. From verse 7, we see that Paul is relating a past experience he had with prayer. As he looks back, he sees why God allowed his burden: his “thorn in the flesh-a nagging nuisance of Satan.” He tells us God’s purpose was to keep him grounded and keep him from being too high and mighty due to the extraordinary revelations he received from God to prepare him for his ministry.
My Experience
When I’m suffering, all I want is for the pain to stop. It’s only later when I look back over my shoulder that I see how God was working in my life through that pain. A number of years ago I wanted to move away from a painful situation. I prayed for a job opportunity in another city—in any other city. Nothing opened up, and I wound up staying in that difficult situation another ten years. As I look back I see that God used that suffering to teach me the same lesson God taught Paul: God’s grace is enough. If God had lifted me out of that pain, I would not have learned to depend on God.
AT PEACE
Bible scholars speculate that Paul’s burden was weak eyesight, blinding headaches, or recurring bouts of malaria (William Barclay, Commentary on 2nd Corinthians). Whatever it was, his physical pain recurred and stayed with him for life. Many of us struggle with physical or emotional burdens that stay with us through the years. I live with multiple sclerosis, one friend suffers with rheumatoid arthritis, another struggles with depression. I prayed for my ms to go away, but it has stayed with me. Like Paul, I have finally arrived at a place where I am at peace with my ms. Very gradually I’m learning to turn the bad days over and wait for God’s strength.
GOD’S GRACE IS ENOUGH
Paul concludes this passage with the extraordinary claim “when I am at my weakest, God makes me strong.” Paul suffered greatly as he traveled the world to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He was chased out of town, thrown in jail, shipwrecked, and beaten until his attackers thought he was dead. But Paul kept going. He knew no matter what happened, God would make him strong. As each year passes and I face new difficulties, I continue to learn what Paul learned: God’s grace is enough. How about you? Where are you on this journey?
A passionate reader, I began writing as a young girl. After graduating from college, I became a teacher. Over the course of my career, I taught high schoolers, college undergraduates, and public school teachers how to write personal narratives, expository and persuasive essays, as well as poetry and short fiction. I continued to write: publishing professional articles, two textbooks, short stories, and poetry. In 2013, I won first place in Romantic Suspense in the ACFW Genesis Contest.
What a good thought Suzanne. “If God had removed me from that situation I would not have learned that His grace is enough.” Lessons are tough.
Real learning always takes work. I wonder why we think life lessons should be easy?