"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." 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 weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." - Paul 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NASB)
Paul thanks God for a thorn in his side. He PRAISES and THANKS God for giving him this illness/temptation/learning disability/injury/anger/poverty/etc so that it might be HE that is great, and not Paul. He is grateful for that constant reminder to be humble, to not exalt his OWN accomplishments and successes.
Paul asks God to take away the thorn in his side. Thorns hurt and are not comfortable...nobody really enjoys thorns and pain. Paul asks three times for the thorn to be removed. God answers, "My grace is SUFFICIENT for you..." Paul needs nothing else for he has God's SUFFICIENT grace.
Paul boasts in his weakness for that is when he is the strongest. When Paul is weak, there is God. When Paul is hungry, he must feed on God. When Paul is dumb, he must learn from God. When Paul is poor, he must bank on God. When Paul is hurt and tired, he must rest in God. When Paul is strong, there is less room for God. When we have holes and troubles, we allow there to be MORE room for God to do the work. We can no longer depend on ourselves. Paul will be weak so God can be strong.
Paul is CONTENT. This is a forgotten word. Content equals satisfied. We talk about being content (satisfied) with our jobs, paycheck, spouse, family, house, etc...finding joy in the small things. Paul is CONTENT with WEAKNESS, INSULTS, DISTRESS, PERSECUTION, AND DIFFICULTIES. Paul is SATISFIED with the worst of this world. Paul is CONTENT with suffering. "for when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul understands where his strength comes from.
Are we content with weakness? Too short, too slow, too dumb, too insignificant. Are we content with insults? Loser, washed-up, late, inadequate, weak, useless, waste of space. Are we content with distress and difficulties? Broken washer, special needs child, unemployment, divorce, death, drugs, alcohol, pornography, stress at work, bad boss, little money, sickness, disability. Are we content with persecution? Rejection, litigation, rumors, threats, physical/emotional/spiritual attacks, rebelling children.
"In the Jewish Passover there is a response by the family proclaiming their gratitude to God. They say 'If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not judged the Egyptians', dayenu! 'If He had only destroyed their gods, but had not parted the Red Sea,' dayenu! 'If He had only drowned our enemies, but had not fed us with manna,' dayenu! 'If He had only led us thorugh the desert, but had not given us the Sabbath,' dayenu 'If He had only given us the Torah, but not the land of Israel,' dayenu What does dayenu mean? It means, 'It would have been sufficient.' To be grateful for what God gives us and expect no more (or less) is a blessed perspective. Be thankful for what you have. If God has given it to you, DAYENU!"
- Stuart Pederson
If God has given it to you...whether good or bad...easy or hard...painful or comforting...DAYENU.
