24/11/2024
Paul willingly accepted God's design for his life: "Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weak- nesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong" (vv. 9-10).
If it were possible to remove the thorn in the flesh by saying, "Messenger of Satan, I bind you," God's plan could have been foiled. In the end, Paul was glad for this affliction because it helped him grow spiritually.
Source: Standing Strong, How to resist the enemy of your soul by John Macarthur
2 Corinthians 12:1-10 NLT
[1] This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. [2] I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. [3] Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know [4] that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. [5] That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. [6] If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, [7] even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. [8] Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. [9] Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. [10] That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
