After the Miracle

Today's Devotional Thought
December 16, 2010 by Wendy Foreman

He is Strong

Do you have a weakness, a thorn in the flesh, or a burden today? Today�s verses were written by Paul in response to his thorn in the flesh. Many have speculated what that thorn may have been for Paul.

Much like Paul, we may face difficulties in our lives and times when we are confused and questioning everything that is happening in our lives. Most of the time, these situations pass and we carry on in life. But sometimes, like Paul, we have something in our lives that becomes the thorn in our flesh that persists and we see that as a glaring flaw. And so many times, when we stop and think about having a flaw that isn�t going to go away, we grimace because in our flesh we want to be perfect. We don�t want to have any weaknesses. And what happens when we start seeing our weaknesses? Many begin to think that there is no way that God can use them because they aren�t perfect. They have this thing in their life that is hindering them.

Friends, the worst thing that anyone can do is allow that thorn in the flesh to become their focus.

Today�s verses are very clear that God�s power is made perfect in our weakness. In our flesh we can become very prideful of OUR accomplishments. Those accomplishments can make us feel strong and in control. We may even find ourselves bragging about all we�ve done, about our education, our material things, our status in society, and the list goes on and on. What I�ve come to realize, though, is that when we are brought to our knees because of a difficulty that renders us weak, we quickly realize how strong and powerful our Lord is and how weak we actually are.

The Christian life is not about all the accomplishments we have made on this earth. It is about what we have done for Christ. We should all feel the strongest when we are in God�s will and doing what He has called us to do.

If you are feeling weak and are going through something now that has left you feeling weary and tired I want to encourage you to see that God is strong in the midst of your weakness. He can use you in the midst of it and don�t ever doubt that. This Christian life is about loving others and bringing them to Jesus. How better to encourage those around us this Holiday season, and every day, than to share with them how God has worked and moved in our lives. How when we were weak He was strong, and that when they enter a loving relationship with Him they can experience that too?

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.??? Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, 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."
~2 Corinthians 12:8b-10