So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 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. 10 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. (II Corinthians 12)
We've already talked about how Paul experienced the grace of God in his life: God had mercifully called him from being a persecutor of Christ's followers to professing faith in Christ and preaching the Gospel. Such a privilege and powerful experience could go to one's head. We have also talked about how important humility is for us to experience God's grace in and through us, so Paul, and God, had their plans to keep Paul humble so God's grace would keep flowing through him. Sometimes God's plans are a little different than ours. God's plan for Paul included physical weakness, trials, and opposition. It was the perfect recipe for grace. It was not always easy or fun, but Paul learned that if he wanted God to do in and through him, through Christ, what he was unable to do himself - and as we have seen, that is grace - then he needed to maintain a humility, contentment, and dependence on Christ to set the tone for his life. When we realize our weakness and respond to God's grace, His power shines through.
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