August 18
2 Corinthians 12: 7: And lest I should be exalted above
measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn
in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above
measure. 8: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart
from me.
No believer enjoys suffering in a
trial. Therefore as Paul did, we find
ourselves beseeching the Lord that the thing which causes our suffering might
depart from us. It is hard to be patient
in trials. Paul prayed for the trial to
be over, for it to depart from him. But
how did the Lord reply to Paul? “He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for
thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
If we are to have it proven to us that we have no strength
and that God's all-sufficient grace shall sustain us as he has promised, it
will not come by the trial necessarily being removed. It will come by God's
grace enabling us to sufficiently bear it.
Only then is it proven to us that as he has promised so he is able to
perform.
This is the perfect work James wrote
about when he said, “the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let
patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting
nothing.” (Ja 1: 3-4.) Paul is writing
this after he patiently endured by the strength of God's grace. Therefore
listen to what experience taught him, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities,” rather than asking for them to be removed, “that the power of
Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake:
for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Cor 12: 9-10) When Christ is our only
Strength, then are we strong; then “patience has” brought us to the end of “her
perfect work”; when we are nothing, but Christ is All, then are we “entire,
wanting nothing.” (Ja 1: 4)