Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleAugust 18
Bible Text2 Corinthians 12:7-8
Date18-Aug-2014
Series Daily Readings
Article Type Article
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: Strength Perfected in Weakness (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: Strength Perfected in Weakness (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

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)