2 Corinthians 12:9: “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

June 8th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

How interesting that God had practically said “no” to the Apostle Paul’s request for healing. God gave this man of God a negative answer, an answer we don’t like to even consider as a possible answer to our prayers. We’d like to think that every prayer we bring to God, if we just keep on praying hard enough, will eventually receive a “yes” from Him. In our day, this false doctrine has stumbled many a young believer, leaving them struggling in their relationship with God. Jesus gave a very stern warning about stumbling the young in age (kids) as well as the young in the faith (new believers): “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea” (Mark 9:42).

We read here, in the simplest terms, that in order to help him grow in humility, God did not heal Paul. He would not remove the sickness, as Paul asked, but He did continually supply him with the grace to face it. Paul’s confession, “that the power of Christ may rest upon me,” makes it clear he was at rest with God’s decision. The weaker the human instrument, the more obvious it is that God is doing the work. This still seems to be our Father’s preferred way. This is a freeing passage for us, as we allow God to do as He pleases in our lives. Should we quit praying for the good things we desire to see in our life and others if they do not happen immediately? Of course not, but we must leave the door open for God to say to us the same thing He said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient.”

“LORD, may Your grace and power be on our lives today. Grace to walk with You and power to bring about positive spiritual changes in ourselves and those we touch today.”