His Power Is Made Perfect In Weakness
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)."
Paul, one of the greatest men of God that ever lived, in my opinion, pleaded with God-prayed earnestly to Him not once, not twice but three times for God to take "it" away. What was God's answer? It was no. But along with the no, He told Paul (as He is also saying to you and to me today) that His grace is sufficient for us.
There are times when we have prayed for something that in our human eyes we expect God to answer yes. However, that is not always the case. Those times God says no, we must remember that He sees the end from the beginning. He is always loving in His ways. "All of the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant (Psalm 25:10)." God uses our weaknesses and imperfections to show us how strong He is. It is not in our power, but it is in His mighty power. Could it be that He says no to keep us from becoming prideful? Or could it be that He wants us to continually rely on Him?
I don't know the answer to why God says no at times, however, I do know that He knows us better than anyone because He made us. "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your words are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from Your sight when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139: 13-16)."
God hears your cry....He knows the longings of your heart and He knows exactly what He is doing all of the time. Trust His precious name and rest in the fact that He loves you with an unfailing love. "May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant (Psalm 119:76)."
What was Paul's response to God's answer? Did he get mad? Did he start to pout? Was he upset? Absolutely not, on the contrary, he realized that in his weakness, Christ's power rested on him and because of that, he was strong. He relied on Jesus continually. He understood that God knew best. This was not mere head knowledge- this was a deep, intimate relationship with the Lord. "Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 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 12:9-10)."
No matter how difficult your circumstance may be and no matter how many times you have pleaded with God to take it away, you need to remember that God is a God of justice, mercy and love. He would never allow something to come into your life unless it was going to draw you closer to Him and that He has a divine purpose in mind. Nothing happens or ever will happen without God having His loving hands on it. He knows the plans He has for you, and they are for your good. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)."
So when your circumstances and everything around you are crumbling and it looks as though there is no end to the chaos and pain in your life-hold on my friend! Trust in the One who formed this world and the heavens with His breath. Trust the One who promises to His children that He will work all things (good and bad) together for their good. Thank God this life is not all there is! As Christ followers,we will not ever be truly satisfied here because this is not our home. Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you may also be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going (John 14:1-4)."
Paul, one of the greatest men of God that ever lived, in my opinion, pleaded with God-prayed earnestly to Him not once, not twice but three times for God to take "it" away. What was God's answer? It was no. But along with the no, He told Paul (as He is also saying to you and to me today) that His grace is sufficient for us.
There are times when we have prayed for something that in our human eyes we expect God to answer yes. However, that is not always the case. Those times God says no, we must remember that He sees the end from the beginning. He is always loving in His ways. "All of the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant (Psalm 25:10)." God uses our weaknesses and imperfections to show us how strong He is. It is not in our power, but it is in His mighty power. Could it be that He says no to keep us from becoming prideful? Or could it be that He wants us to continually rely on Him?
I don't know the answer to why God says no at times, however, I do know that He knows us better than anyone because He made us. "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your words are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from Your sight when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139: 13-16)."
God hears your cry....He knows the longings of your heart and He knows exactly what He is doing all of the time. Trust His precious name and rest in the fact that He loves you with an unfailing love. "May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant (Psalm 119:76)."
What was Paul's response to God's answer? Did he get mad? Did he start to pout? Was he upset? Absolutely not, on the contrary, he realized that in his weakness, Christ's power rested on him and because of that, he was strong. He relied on Jesus continually. He understood that God knew best. This was not mere head knowledge- this was a deep, intimate relationship with the Lord. "Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 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 12:9-10)."
No matter how difficult your circumstance may be and no matter how many times you have pleaded with God to take it away, you need to remember that God is a God of justice, mercy and love. He would never allow something to come into your life unless it was going to draw you closer to Him and that He has a divine purpose in mind. Nothing happens or ever will happen without God having His loving hands on it. He knows the plans He has for you, and they are for your good. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)."
So when your circumstances and everything around you are crumbling and it looks as though there is no end to the chaos and pain in your life-hold on my friend! Trust in the One who formed this world and the heavens with His breath. Trust the One who promises to His children that He will work all things (good and bad) together for their good. Thank God this life is not all there is! As Christ followers,we will not ever be truly satisfied here because this is not our home. Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you may also be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going (John 14:1-4)."
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