2 Corinthians 12 God's All Sufficient Grace in the Time of Weakness!

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Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 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. 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.

This is a famous passage where Paul writes about his "thorn in the flesh". In Paul's writing the "flesh" is synonymous with the "sinful nature". It is that part of our nature which is opposed to God and focused on self above all else. So, when Paul says "thorn in his flesh", he is talking about something which is causing him to sin. 

Before Paul gets into that, he talks about an experience where God revealed what heaven looked like. Sometimes we call this an "out of body experience", but Paul says he is not sure if he was in his body or out of it. The bottom line is he saw things revealed to him by God which were inexpressible. So, in terms of ecstatic experiences with God, Paul could have plenty to boast about as well. 

But because of these surpassingly great revelations, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh. In the flesh he could have been arrogant about these revelations, but the thorn in the flesh reminded Paul, he was a sinful human being just like anybody else. This thorn was a messenger of Satan that God allowed in his life to cause him to rely on God's strength, not his own natural strength. This was not a pleasant experience by any means. 

In fact this situation was so challenging, Paul begged God to take away this thorn, but God did not take it away from him. But the Lord said these amazing words to Paul, 

"My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness." 

The only way Paul could handle his thorn in the flesh was to rely on God's grace. He could not beat it on his own willpower or resolve. As Paul realized he was powerless and relied on God's grace it showed Christ's power. In this way Paul's weaknesses revealed God's strength. 

It is counter-intuitive to realize that through weakness comes strength. But even Jesus emptied himself and became a servant. He gave us his rights to being God and humbled himself. Jesus went from the highest place, being God, to the bottom rung of being a servant. But in his weakness God's power shone through as Jesus took our sins upon himself on the cross where he died, and then God raised him again in great and promised glory. 

Is there something you have struggled with in your life which have asked God to take it away? Have you considered that it might be a way that God is humbling you and making you rely on his grace instead of your own strength. Even the things you think are weaknesses in your life can be used by God to show His strength through you! 

As you think about your weaknesses and the "thorn in the flesh" in your life may you saw with Paul, "Your grace is sufficient for me, because your power is made perfect in my weakness."