For when I am weak, then I am strong.

This morning at church, the sermon was centered on grace and whether or not we can earn it. He discussed the enemies of grace and how they can torment us away from thinking we are saved. One of those was the spiritual desert. Those times in our life when we are in an obsolete, empty universe where it feels like no one hears our cries, sorrows, or joys. One of the scriptures that the preacher brought up was 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, describing one of Paul's spiritual deserts. It is one of my most favorite verses, but tonight I decided to read the context surrounding that verse, and it brought some new perspective to my life.
Paul in 2 Corinthians was talking about hardships and how we should not boast in anything, but present our requests humbly before the Lord. He talks in this chapter of the thorn in his flesh that he begged God three times to take away. Now, my smart Bible (NIV, Life Application Bible) talks about how we do not know what thorn Paul is describing though scholars believe it to be some sort of physical ailment that Paul asked to be healed of.
Three times Paul pleaded with God to be healed of this physical ailment. Not unlike the many times I have begged God to heal me of my inability to conceive. Not unlike the days I spent crying out to God to continue the miracle He placed in me with my baby. But like all of those times, God did not heal Paul of that ailment. But simply repsonded with this:
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Paul goes on to say:
"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 weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am STRONG."
God does not refrain from healing because He cannot. His works are far greater, than my narrow perspective. Paul, through this thorn in the flesh, was able to "receive greater grace from God, a stronger character, humility, and an ability to empathize with others." Although I am definitley not putting myself in the category of the great Apostle Paul, I empathize with his thorn. And I'm beginning to find it easier to delight myself in this weakness. His grace is sufficient for me. So many times has He answered my prayers, from the mundane to the serious. And though He has not brought healing just yet, His power has been made perfect in me. For I know the weaker I am, the stronger God can be for me. What a blessing to bathe in my Father's lavish grace every morning. And sleep in His strong, capable arms every night. And to be carried in His powerful, nail-pierced hands during the day, even when I cry, even when I struggle, even when I hurt, both physically and emotionally. For when I am weak, then I am STRONG!!

And as a side note, the Cowboys are winning, it is FALL (had to seasonally decorate my blog, it's the cool thing to do), and the holidays are just around the corner!! It's not too early to sing, "It's the most wonderful time, of the year..."