Introduction
What do you make
of this? What stands out in this passage??
There is within
each of us the struggle for significance in life. Yet we find that the human
condition is fragile, weak and vulnerable. Sometimes we fight against this and
strain to be strong, self-contained and independent; however our efforts
eventually fail, and we can find ourselves broken, lonely and sad. This
situation often means that we can make bad decisions or no decisions, withdraw
(on one hand) or over-exert (on the other) with people-pleasing type behaviour
or a performance addiction … to try to gain acceptance.
We can become
more resilient as we ably deal with our setbacks, problems and difficulties,
especially as we allow helpful others to support us. However, ultimately, our
road to ‘strength’ – the sort of ‘strength’ that will see us through – comes
from outside of us. It is allowing God’s strength to come into us. And this
‘strength’ isn’t just a new capability given to us, it is more God being
present with us. As recently quoted [by Mandy] on Facebook, “God doesn't merely want to give you strength – God wants to BE your strength”.
Then,
no longer, will there be the need to strive … as if everything depends on how
we perform. We will know that God values us, and that we belong to His Kingdom.
We more and more make the right decisions based on God’s view of life. All
guilt and shame gives way to forgiveness and wholeness. God becomes very
personal; instead of being that unknowable Divine that we worship from a
distance, God becomes the most evident loving and dynamic force in our lives.
We become acutely aware of what God is doing through His strength in and around
us.
Paul’s Testimony (v.1-7a)
In life, God
wants us never to lose our focus on him. As we shall see, it is most
interesting how all this played out in Paul’s life. Sometimes we need to
continue to carry burdens or difficulties, so that we can remain focussed on
God, and NOT ourselves. If we had everything together, and every single need
was always met, then it would be very easy to drift off in self-contentedness.
We would never get to sense God working in our life. God knows us very well,
and knows fully well how to handle us … each one of us as God’s unique
creations.
Paul was
concerned that if he ever felt that he had it all together, or that he himself
deserved praise, then he would be very inclined towards boasting of his
successes. If we ever felt free to claim credit for our achievements –
then we also could easily fall into self-glorifying boasting. The end-point of
this … where the world has largely gone … is becoming our own god. This is
ultimately to live in spiritual poverty, and bring about our own demise. Paul
came to understand that the only credible boast in life, is what God’s strength
brings to human weakness (v.5).
Paul was right on
the edge here. He was very human, but also very honest about himself. Paul, by
now, had a lot of achievements to talk about, planting churches far and wide;
and he had to wrestle with himself to make sure that the credit went to God
(and NOT to himself). A reality check was required. After all, where Paul had
come from – the worst of the persecutors of the people of Jesus … a highly and
uncomfortably driven person … someone filled with his own importance. Paul, had
to be completely emptied out … before he could be of any good to anyone else.
How did this happen? How could the seeming impossibility of this remarkable
change take place? Paul knew!!
We come as weak
and broken vessels – thus all of our achievements in life and ministry to
others come out of God’s strength imparted to us … God working in and through
us. Paul had to rehearse over and over again in his mind how he had got to
where he was now. He had to retell the story often, that he couldn’t change
himself, he had to be changed by the crucified and risen Jesus. Paul, in verse
2 (although unwilling to single himself out … speaking in the third person)
speaks about a deep spiritual experience of meeting with Jesus, where he
learned things that completely changed his life focus.
So, when Paul
talks success, it will only be as a weak person empowered by God’s strength.
Don’t let anyone put Paul on a pedestal – from where he would be subject to a
fall. Paul, like us, could still, in weak moments, let people down; but God
wouldn’t… not ever! This is all so that it can be God that is seen rather than
us! This is how we need to approach our roles, responsibilities or ministries
in the church and community. This will dispense with egos and agendas and
personality promotion. We will just be the diverse faces of Jesus. This
can also dispense with anxiety, or concerns as to whether we will be good
enough or not … this becoming irrelevant! Is God good enough?! There is great
freedom in this!
Paul’s Prayer
(v.7b-10)
This is still a
trust thing! Do we trust God to bring us his strength? Can we trust each other
that we don’t look at human weakness, as much as at God’s strength!? Can we
trust that God will rightly answer our prayers, even when the answers seem
non-existent or strange?! How do we react when it seems our prayers have NOT
been answered? Will we accept that the burdens and difficulties that remain in
our lives will aid, not restrict, our relationship with God!? Can we give up
the notion and desire to take credit, in trust that God brings reward and
blessing in His own way?!
Paul prayed
{“appealed”} three times that his “thorn in the flesh” would be taken away. And
why not … I would. We should never be unconcerned about our weaknesses,
especially those areas under our control and responsibility … where we should repent
and change. We should always be looking to develop our gifts and build our
contributions to church and community. This “thorn” was clearly a significant
burden for Paul. And dealing with this weakness or “thorn” was obviously
something only God could grant. So he prayed, he “appealed to the Lord”, no
doubt in faith and confidence. There would have been very good reasons in
Paul’s mind why these prayers should have been granted. Life and ministry, it
seems, would have been so much easier!
There has been
much debate about the nature of Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”. It could have been
something physical like poor eyesight (thus needing a scribe) or a speech
impediment (tough for a communicator) or being short in stature or not
physically appealing, or something medical like epilepsy or a persistent
malaria type complaint, or something else – some think this “thorn” could have been
depression … understandable considering how Paul lived on the edge, continually
giving of himself in the context of real danger, opposition, and bouts of
imprisonment. Whatever the issue Paul was facing, we should NOT underestimate
the level of pain and frustration involved, and the potential within to bring
Paul down.
The fact that
this “thorn” was NOT clearly identified, allows us to read into this passage
our own burden or sense of threat. It could be something that has always been
there – whether physical, emotional, mental or social, or something that’s
arisen lately, or something that seems to be getting worse; something that we’ve
prayed about for a long time, or are just praying about now. Nothing wrong with
these prayers for help … we should pray this way. And I would pray like to with
you for help and relief.
However, we
should also be prepared to accept God’s response. Incredibly, Paul actually
finished up believing this “thorn” to be a gift or blessing! This was because
it kept him honest, humble and focussed on God. Paul had NOT been forgotten;
this was NOT a punishment – far from it – this was an opportunity for growth
and greater maturity. God actually knows us better than we know ourselves. God
knows so well how we are put together. And, unlike us, God sees fully how the big
jigsaw puzzle of life on earth fits together. A quote from a recent small group
study, “If we knew what the Lord knew, we wouldn’t change a thing”.
Do we remain
convinced of God’s love for us, despite the outcome of our prayers? Do we
recognise that God can use us the way we are through applying His strength to
us? Do we see the shape of our life being a vehicle for the revealing of God’s
glory? Will we understand the growth curve available in this? Years after
losing his daughter, James Bryan Smith, in his book entitled ‘The Good and
Beautiful God’, wrote that, “God’s goodness is not something that
I get to decide upon”. He means, that it just is … God IS good, and we
need to interpret life through this lens.
What can be
gained through this, even in the midst of disappointment? Growth and greater
maturity we’ve mentioned. A deeper relationship of dependence upon God – yes!
And, because we continue to be touched by need, and experience daily
challenges, we can understand and empathise with others who are likewise
suffering. Conversely, those who (falsely) appear to have it all together,
could lose their capacity to point others to the God who can work wonders.
Conclusion
Paul decided to
live with his burden, in such a way that God would get the glory! The proud and
boastful will NOT help others (no matter how great their achievement), only
promote themselves. Paul would accept his circumstances, and see how God’s
strength would bring about a ministry to others. Paul’s weakness would be able
to inter-relate with the felt weaknesses and burdens of others to their
benefit. If Paul was too caught up in his success he would have likely missed
such opportunities altogether.
We don’t know how
long Paul took to make this discovery (and how much disappointment he may have
endured along the way). But after he had prayed three times, and we would NOT
doubt his faith in this, upon reflection, Paul made way to hear God speak, “My
grace is sufficient for you, for [my] power is made perfect in weakness”
(v.9a)! In this way Paul would have a deeper experience of God, as he grew in
patience, endurance and many other disciplines. Paul was also being prepared
for even greater challenges!
The Jesus-following
life is all about our capacity to rely on God, rather than on ourselves, and rather than on
the world. In trusting in God for everything, we allow, rather than restrict,
our relationship with God to build. We can embrace becoming part of the new
creation. We can be free in our worship, and grow in our discipleship i.e. the
way we daily follow Jesus. In our public life we bring glory to God, as Jesus
is identified as having come alongside someone with weaknesses … who
nonetheless exhibits hope, peace and purpose.
Our level of
strength is wholly determined by the extent to which Jesus is active in our
life.
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