One of the most remarkable truths of scripture is that instead of making life easier for us by supernaturally removing the causes of our discomfort and difficulties, God instead gives us more grace and strength to enable us to go through the painful, difficult stages of life and painful experiences that are part of living as fallen creatures in this fallen world. After all, this world is not our home; we’re on our journey home and God is preparing us for the place that He has already prepared for us in heaven. We would much prefer that God remove "the thorn in the flesh" or take away "our cross" from us but God in His wisdom, says "No." And He seldom explains why, but we see the end result as He makes us more like Christ and floods us with His supernatural peace.
Do you remember the old hymn, "He Giveth More Grace."
"He giveth more grace when the burden grows greater;
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.
To added affliction He addeth His mercy;
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.His love has no limit; His grace has no measure;
His pow’r has no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!"
God sent a "thorn in the flesh," to Paul, "a messenger of Satan to buffet me." And he tells us why: to humble him. He said it twice, "to keep me from becoming conceited." 2 Cor. 12:7
The word in Greek is huperairomai literally meaning "to raise oneself over" another person, to become arrogant or to glorify yourself instead of God. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6
Do you need more strength, more grace to help in time of need? Scripture tells us how to get it: "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4:16 ESV Go to God in prayer and go with confidence, but if you expect to get an answer, you’d better go humbly and realize who you are and who God is and then you can’t be proud. That’s what the verse says that I quoted in James, "But He gives more grace." And then it says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. James 4:6
Recognize that you are a created being, a finite creature who has no life in himself but is totally dependent upon God. Take your place as a finite person before our infinite, eternal omnipotent Creator. It’s a matter of simple logic: 1 Cor. 4:7 ESV "For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?"
God did not take away Paul’s cross or his "thorn in the flesh," but He did give him grace and strength to "live with it" and be victorious in that struggle. He flooded his soul with the "peace of God which passes understanding."
And God’s answer to Paul echoes down through the centuries to us to sustain us as well. "Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 12 Cor. 12:8-10 ESV
Our problem is not that we feel inadequate to face the problems of living in this fallen world, our problem is that we are inadequate and totally dependent upon God for our strength and abilities, but He is sufficient. His grace is sufficient for us. "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God." 2 Cor. 3:5 ESV "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 Cor. 4:7 ESV
So then we can say with the apostles, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." 2 Cor. 4:8-11 ESV
Our lives should be a living demonstration that the risen Christ lives within us: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:19-20 ESV That’s grace. And it’s sufficient for us. Depend on Christ, not on yourself. Glorify Him, not yourself.
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