Good morning! Last week we began our reading in second Corinthians chapter 12. Today, we will continue our reading on Apostle Paul’s thorn in his side. Join me as we continue.

Bible Verse – 2 Corinthians 12:7-10NLT

⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Reflection

Here we read about Apostle Paul’s power versus Christ’s power, and in this particular passage where God allows Paul’s weakness (human weakness), so that God alone is displayed. God did not remove Apostle Paul’s thorn, but God gave him grace in it.

Paul used a Greek word “arkei” which translates to “keep me from becoming conceited” as a way to explain why he had been given the thorn. Just like we pray for spiritual transformation, God’s grace transformed Apostle Paul. The thorn allowed Paul’s perspective to be molded by God’s grace, power and strength working through him. Paul could have boasted about being the most educated, and having had been birthed into a prominent family/religion, but He understood he had a limitation – a thorn in his side. That thorn humbled him.

Have you ever had to be humbled? _____

When Paul and even us – come to the end of ourselves and are able/willing to give control to God, that is when we can truly see Christ alone at work in us, our situation, and in all things. For Paul, when he was weak, then Christ by His strength made Paul spiritually strong.

Sometimes we are not humbled by pain or a thorn in our side, but by experiences. Sometimes experiences help us to see or understand situations that will help others or give us a different perspective of a situation that makes us humble and want to help others or take action.

Sisters and brothers, no matter what you face today or tomorrow, no matter how well you are or ill you feel, may the grace of God continue to transform you and make you spiritually strong by His strength. May He receive all the glory. Continue to hold on to Him and give Him alone the glory.

Prayer

Father God, we thank you for your grace and mercy on our lives. Lord, you have been good to us. Thank you for making a way for us to be reconciled to you. Lord, in the midst of walking and journeying with you as Christians, work through us and transform us to be in alignment with your word, work, and compassion. Lord, you have blessed us in so many ways, that it would be easy to boast about it and lose sight of what you have done for us and through us. Lord, we want to thank you for the blessings you have given us. We want to thank you for all that you have done in our lives. Lord, we thank you for the times when we were weak and you made us strong. Lord, forgive us for the times when we boasted, bragged, and we did not show mercy or grace, or compassion toward others.

Lord, the spiritual gifts that you have given us, the wisdom, discernment, and foresight that you blessed us with should not be taken for granted – show us and lead us to how you desire for us to give you glory with all that you have blessed us with (e.g., spiritually, financially, mentally, physically, and emotionally). Lord, we want to be your hands and feet in this world. Use us to point others to you.

Lord, keep working in our hearts – shape and mold us every day. Lord, heal the inflicted. Heal the brokenhearted. Feed the hungry. House the unhoused. Free those in bondage. Rescue the victims. Employ the jobless. Clean up Your churches around the world and fully align them with your truth, compassion, and love. May the work that you strengthened Apostle Paul to begin in Corinth continue throughout the world. Lord, remove false teachers/false prophets, leaders, and those who are intentionally turning people away from the church or exercising authority that is inconsistent with your teachings. May Your church turn back to you and give you all the glory.

In Jesus name, amen.

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