Strength In Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NIV

...Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But 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. 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."

This scripture gives me the desire to expand upon the word of God. So many times we ask God..."Why are you doing this to me? ". It isn't until sometimes years down the road what the purposes for our struggles have been. But God ALWAYS knows what his purpose is.

Of course, I do not rejoice when I'm going through trials. In fact
I probably murmur just as much as any normal human being. But the more "practiced" I get I now try to approach difficulties with a different perspective. I know that He has purpose in ALL things, so I now ask in my prayer time, "Lord, what am I supposed to learn from this? What are you trying to teach me?". I have found that not only are my burdens a little bit easier to bear, but I often AM able to identify some of the purposes He has for me to learn with each situation.

I hope that we will all try to apply a different perspective to each hard time we face. If we remember that God is not done with us, and we are His greatest masterpiece, then we should be able to deal with the hard times better than someone who does not share an eternal perspective like we do.

How can we use this to minister to others?

Many people curse God for the trials & difficulties they experience in life. They become hardened and allow Satan to take control of their minds, and often end up slaves to addiction, homelessness & complete loss of all hope. It actually makes me feel PAIN when I see people making themselves suffer this way. Because in reality there is no reason for us to suffer! All we have to do is give everything to God. Jesus came to take away this pain we deal with. If we DAILY take up our own cross, and FOLLOW HIM, as He has asked us to do, we will find that he makes our burdens light because He is carrying us through it! Then we will learn to live with more joy in our sorrows.