2 Corinthians 12

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That 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. (2 Cor. 12)

Thoughts: Not many would say, "When I am weak I am strong."  Not many could thank God or boast about their weaknesses.  Paul was talking about his "thorn in the flesh."  His thorn was some kind of physical ailment.  Some say he had a limp, or he stuttered, but clearly he had eye problems- maybe as a result of his blindness on the road to Damascus.  He wrote a few times that he wrote large so the readers could tell it was from his own hand.  It could be that his weaknesses were all the things he had talked about previously that surely took an overall toll on his body.  He does not spell out his weakness- it probably was obvious to the Corinthians- but really only a matter of curiosity today for us.  The point was that God sustained Paul.  Paul knew that when he had no strength of his own, God's strength kicked in.  Apart from Christ we are weak and can do nothing.  But with God all things are possible. Jesus said the last shall be first- another way of saying the weak will be made strong.  He also talked about the meek will inherit the earth.  So when you have reached the end of your strength- look for God.  He is close.  He has not forsaken you- for after your God-forsaken cross- just around the corner- within a three days walk- is a resurrection!  When someone says, "How does he do that?"  It honors Christ- for His power is seen in our inability.  When someone is amazed at what God does through us- it is not us that should get the glory (or it wouldn't be amazing).  God gets the glory.  He made us with what little strength we have- but He is the One who feeds us in the famines as He fed Elijah. He is the One who lifts us out of our mud pits as he lifted Jeremiah.  He is the One who rescues us from the sea as He rescued Jonah.  He is the One who allows us to suffer on the cross- only to raise us up from the dead.  In our weakness- He is strong- and we- tied to Him- are strong too!