June 1. 2 Corinthians 12. Joe Strange

His grace is sufficient…

 Verse 7B: ... I was given a thorn in my flesh…
Verse 8: Three times I begged the Lord to take it away from me.

Paul delights in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, difficulties. There is nothing delightful about any of these situations. I have faced some of them and none of them are pleasant. Paul has just finished a list starting in Chapter 11 of all the great things he’s done and trials he’s faced faithfully as reasons why he could boast to the Corinthians. But, at the end of it all, he brings up this “thorn”. It is speculated that he had a health condition. Whether it’s that or something else in the list from verse 10, he calls it a thorn. Webster defines it as something that causes distress or irritation. 

 Verse 8 says Paul pleaded three times for it to be taken from him (remind you of anyone? ). Then he was resolved to continue his journey with the Lord’s answer: “No”. This can be an additional thorn. Paul looks beyond the difficulty and tries to see the Lord's plan for him, to keep him from being conceited. Let’s assume it is an illness that keeps Paul from giving his perceived 100%. We know he is passionate about the spread of the gospel and concerned for the strength of the churches he has planted. Why would the Lord hinder him in this work? So, Paul can’t even be tempted to think he has done it by his strength. Paul must see this in his own character to realize why the Lord allowed this thorn in the first place. (My amazing wife made this comment about giving 100%, “Didn't he give 100% of what he was able to give? There's a stark difference between giving 100% of what you have and wanting to be AT 100% so you can give 100%. It's on the margins; the deficiency of that 100% that God can do wonders. So what we can perceive as only giving, let's say 80%, we are actually giving at 100% because God makes up the difference. As long as we are giving 100% of the 80% we have in us to give.”)

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This is the center of the gospel message. We can’t do enough and shouldn’t be tempted to try. Paul is reminded of this every time this “thorn” shows itself. Weakness is something to be hidden from others so we won’t be attacked in those areas. Paul boasts in his weaknesses knowing that Jesus will be glorified as he works through Paul’s “weak” vessel.

2 Corinthians 12:10, That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 When you feel weak, insulted, going through hard times, feeling persecuted or facing difficulties of any kind, God’s grace is sufficient to overcome any thorn.