I recently gained new perspective from the study of 2 Corinthians 8-13. I read from the KJV bible, several translations on BibleHub.com, listened to Don’t Miss This podcast, and the Follow Him podcast part 1 and part 2. I loved the discussions on podcasts. There are a couple verses that seem to be a part of my foundational understanding of the gospel in application from this study and the discussions really expanded my understanding of them and gave me new insight into the doctrine they teach. 

In 2 Cor 12:5-10 Paul shares that he was given a thorn in his side and pleaded to have it divinely removed, over and over… and over again. The Lord’s response was “my grace is sufficient for thee”.  That is a hard answer for me. Are we not suppose to overcome weaknesses? Are we not suppose to pray for growth and improvement? I think we are. I don’t think that Paul is saying we shouldn’t. But it seems Paul is saying sometimes, with some thorns, pleading to have it removed will not lead to its removal. Are we willing to accept having the weakness we abhor? Are we willing to accept being weak? Are we willing to accept the grace which is enough to compensate for our weaknesses or are we too proud to have weaknesses and need compensation? Do we refuse the help, the gift, and desperately try to be enough on our own, or can we honestly look at ourselves and see strengths alongside weaknesses? Are we willing to recognize our God given strengths and then use them to raise up the Kingdom of God, and at the same time recognize our weaknesses and let someone else step in with their corresponding strengths and fill that role in the Kingdom? Do we have to do it all, or can we allow others in their strengths to participate? Perhaps the thorn in our side is not only to keep us humble but to keep our plate from becoming too full, to allow room for others to shine and serve, to keep the whole body of Christ engaged in His work and will. (1 Cor 12: 12-27

If our weaknesses are removed and we become independently “sufficient” are we going to be turning to God as often? When we are reconciled to God (our relationship healed and strong) what is to keep us humble? Having a powerful and secure relationship with God gives us a lot of confidence, joy, and an increase of faith. Often success, opportunities, relationships and connections seem to “fall in our lap”. It is easy to slip into believing all the hard work we have done has led to our obtaining our good fortune. By retaining our weaknesses we will hopefully remain humble and use them to keep us tethered to the One who actually gives us all we have. 

I loved Grace’s story (on Don’t Miss This) about David offering to buy her a shake and after she refused a couple times he said “This is a lesson in grace. Let me do this.” It can be hard to accept goodness from others. It takes humility, and practice. Are we resistant when it comes to accepting God stepping in and “picking up the tab” in our lives? Are we humble enough to accept we are insufficient and that He is more than sufficient? And then instead of belittling ourselves because of our weaknesses, and living in shame of needing help, do we accept His gift of grace?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve prayed to have my weaknesses be replaced by strengths. And how many times I’ve been disappointed that I am fighting the same fight. I find myself struggling to identify my strengths and only seeing my insufficiencies. It’s hard for me to embrace my strengths when it feels like there are no gifts and no places in which I am sufficient to balance out all the weakness. As I pondered I felt the spirit testify that our weaknesses are what brings us to Christ. It is through the ways in which we are insufficient that we make room for Him and His grace. The more weaknesses we have the more room there is for Him. It is now a matter of letting Him accept us in our unsuitable state. We are not behaving, performing, or showing up in ways that we are proud of or want to talk about and yet in that state He still wants us. I realized that He already knows all the ways I’m failing and that I am ashamed of who I am (or who I am not) because of my weaknesses. He knows the weight I carry from my thorns and He doesn’t expect me to fix any of it or improve or overcome before I come to Him. And I don’t have to give Him a run down of all the things, apologize for my failings, or justify my incompetencies. I can simply come, know that He knows, and ask for His reassurance, love, and contentment. We can let Christ in through our weaknesses and be filled with His love, reassurance, and strength. Isn’t that extraordinary?