Paul’s frustration and his victory: (12:7-10):
Our God cares for us and concerned about us. At the same time he also knows how to balance our lives. If we have only blessings after blessings, we will become proud and forget God. It is true with everyone and also with Paul. God permitted Satan to cause physical pain for Paul. We don’t know what was that thorn. Many people have speculated as: a disease of the eyes, malaria or some physical chronic problem.
Many times we suffer because we are disobedient to the Lord. When we rebel against God, the Lord allows chastening. King David suffered because of his sins viz: his adultery (2 Sam.12:1) and again getting proud in his heart by counting his armies (2 Sam.24:10-17). Both times God punished him. Our God forgives our sins in His grace, but in His government he makes us to reap what we have sown.
Suffering produces godly character. Christ’s power is best displayed in human weakness. The thorn for Paul was a hindrance to his ministry. He pleaded with God 3-times to take away the thorn, yet God did not take away but gave him the grace to endure it. Paul understands that this thorn was given to him to keep him from becoming conceited. God’s grace is sufficient to endure the pain and to keep constant touch with God because of the thorn. Although God did not take away the thorn, He promised to demonstrate His power in Paul. The fact that God’s power is displayed in weak and frail people should motivate us to involve in His ministry even if we are insignificant and weak in this world. Our weakness deepens our allegiance to God, daily depending upon Him for the strength, energy and confidence.
“The man who is being most blessed of God is being most buffeted by the devil.” (Redpath). Great tribulation brings out the great strength of God.
We might say why Paul did not go to some counsellor viz. Peter etc. for this pain. Now-a days there are many counsellors who would give advice on many such things. In this context they may say like this.
- Your faith is not enough.
- Have a positive attitude.
- Believe in yourself.
- Have a group of people for a chain prayer to remove this pain.
But Paul knew all these would not help him. Like Job, he knew the best solution would be with God. When Paul prayed for 3-times, the three letter is a symbol, he must have prayed for many times. It is good to pray very often, but when we know that God has allowed it, there is no point in praying. That’s why Paul boast of his weakness and he knew that he gets the strength from God.
(Spurgeon says) “if you go down, down, into the depths of soul-anguish till the deep threatens to shut her mouth upon you, and then the Lord rides upon a cherub and does fly, yea, rides upon the wings of the wind and delivers your soul, and catches you away to the third heaven of delight, then you perceive the majesty of divine grace. Oh, there must be the weakness of man, felt, recognised, and mourned over, or else the strength of the Son of God will never be perfected in us.”
When the Lord says that “My grace is sufficient for you” means His grace is sufficient to strengthen us, sufficient to comfort us, sufficient to make the pain useful for us, sufficient to help us triumph over it. But many people refuse God’s grace and set their minds on something else. Then the thorn would become a curse for them instead of blessings. Ultimately they would be out of God’s design.
Now Paul was a very strong man because he knew his weakness and he knew from where he could draw the strength and energy. That’s why he could boldly say that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil.4:13)
Paul’s immediate response was he would boast more in his weaknesses so that Christ’s name is glorified more and more. That’s why he does not care the circumstances or the situations coming in his life. He says with much gladness that he delights in his weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions in difficulties. Our weakness will not count any more as long as Christ is in us. In our weakness we can display the strength of Christ. Of course God does not intend us to behave like weak beings or passive or ineffective persons. The troubles and difficulties are bound to come. When we come across such obstacles, we must depend upon God. His power is sufficient to make us face any sort of situation with much ease.