RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-03-18	My Strength Is Made Perfect in Weakness (2Co.12:9)
		2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 2Co 12:8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 2Co 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. In God's kingdom are many paradoxes. Things that appear to contradict, but do not. Paul pleaded with God to remove his affliction, which he called, “a thorn in the flesh” (v.7). The Lord's response to Paul was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (v.9). God delights in taking situations where human strength is lacking to demonstrate the greatness of His power. God's denial of Paul's request for healing turned out to be a blessing. The thorn kept Paul from imagining himself as a spiritual giant (v.7, “lest I be exalted above measure”). Paul stopped protesting his situation, and began to take pleasure in his weakness, because now the power of Christ could work through him (v.10). Paul expressed the paradox that in his frailty he was strong because his strength came from Christ. The word “perfect” (v.9) means to be made complete. Thus, it can accomplish its purpose. When God's people are weak and depend on Him for strength we are made complete. When we, like Paul, stop resisting and complaining and let the power of Christ rest on us, we make room to receive countless blessings. By allowing God's strength to be made perfect in our weakness, we can display God's glory. The grace and power of God connect with human lives at the point of our weakness. There are many examples of God's strength shown when His people are weak. Moses was a great leader, but he was deeply aware of his human shortcomings (Ex.4:10). Moses was able to accomplish great things because he went anyway! We must learn to let God empower us to accomplish His will. The more aware we are of our weakness, the more God can reveal His power through us. God's strength is made perfect in weakness when we put our faith and trust in Him, not in ourselves. The Lord's presence is all we need in times of weakness. God's great power and sufficiency rests on us as we find our strength in Him. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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