There are times in
life when we beg God to help us because of some physical illness, emotional
turmoil or trial in our spiritual life. Paul did this too. He had a “thorn in
the flesh” and begged God to remove it from him. There is much speculation
about what that thorn was, but it does not really matter.
The crux of the issue is that God’s grace was sufficient
for Paul to excel in life in spite of it (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). Paul actually learned
to brag about his imperfections and infirmities, so that the power of Christ in
him would give him rest for his soul. God’s power, strength and ability are
perfected in our weaknesses.
All we need to flourish in this life is His grace.
Whenever we are weak, Christ in us is our strength (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). The prophet Daniel
relied on God’s strength in his times of weakness too (Daniel 10:19). The warrior and national
leader of Israel, Joshua, found strength and courage in his times of fear (Joshua 1:9).
If we have personal power, we would not need God; and we
could boast in our abilities and accomplishments (2 Corinthians 12:1). However, our life in
Christ is not about us at all (Ephesians 2:8-9). That is why God uses the weak and foolish
things of the world to confound the mind of those who consider themselves wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Our faith does not rest on human abilities but on God’s
power within us (1
Corinthians 2:5). A surrendered life is the successful life. Out of
God’s glorious riches, He empowers us by His Spirit, which abides within us (Ephesians 3:16). We
can excel in the will of God and live a fulfilled Christian life, because He
lives in us (Philippians
4:13).
Prayer:
Father God, You remind us not to be anxious about anything, but to come to You in everything, letting You know what we need. We start from a place of gratitude for all You have already done for us, and then we make our requests known to You. This results in a shower of Your peace on our life, which transcends every negative aspect that we are experiencing (Philippians 4:6).
Father God, You remind us not to be anxious about anything, but to come to You in everything, letting You know what we need. We start from a place of gratitude for all You have already done for us, and then we make our requests known to You. This results in a shower of Your peace on our life, which transcends every negative aspect that we are experiencing (Philippians 4:6).
Thought for the
Day:
God’s peace guards our mind and heart in Christ Jesus, in
spite of what life throws at us. - Philippians 4:7
