”But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9New International Version (NIV)
2 Corinthians 12:9 Devotional (Daily Bible Verse)
My grace is sufficient for you
The words of 2 Corinthians 12:9, themed “My grace is sufficient for you“, comprise God’s response to the apostle Paul in response to his pleas regarding the thorn that was in his flesh. And 2 Corinthians 12:8 reveals that Paul made three pleas to God to remove the thorn that was in his flesh, and God responded with the words of 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 9.
Some Corinthians could not reconcile Paul’s humility and boldness
Furthermore, Paul’s revelations were addressed to a group of Corinthians who could not reconcile his “humility when he was face to face with the Corinthian church and his boldness when he was away from them” (2 Corinthians 10:1). For these people, who were his opponents, said that “Paul’s letters were weighty and strong, but his bodily presence was weak, and his speech of no account” (2 Corinthians 10:10).
Therefore, Paul’s opponents could not reconcile his humble physical appearance with his authoritative apostolic authority (2 Corinthians 12:7 and 1 Corinthians 2:3). And they considered him weak, even in his leadership of the Corinthian church. In fact, they felt that he was not qualified to lead this church because his speech and personal presence were weak.
Paul wasn’t inconsistent
Nevertheless, Paul’s opponents didn’t understand that he was not inconsistent. Because what “he wrote in his letter, he did when he was present” (2 Corinthians 10:11).
Paul was superior to the super-apostles
Moreover, Paul considered himself superior to the super-apostles (2 Corinthians 11:5), especially in knowledge (2 Corinthians 11:6). He called out the super-apostles for not serving on the same terms as him (2 Corinthians 11:12). And he, therefore, labeled them as “false apostles and deceitful workmen who had disguised themselves as Christ’s apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:15).
Additionally, Paul “was too weak to do what the super-apostles did” (2 Corinthians 11:16-29). He, therefore, humbled himself before the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 11:7). And he was even supported by the other churches to serve the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 11:8-9).
Consequently, Paul boasted about his weakness (2 Corinthians 11:30). And he also boasted about the visions and revelations that he had received from God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 12:1-6).
Therefore, God had to keep Paul from being conceited courtesy of the surpassing greatness of the revelations He had given to him. God achieved this by putting a thorn in Paul’s flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7).
God’s power was made sufficient in Paul’s weakness
Subsequently, God’s power was made sufficient in Paul’s weakness. And the only way that God’s power would be made sufficient in Paul’s weakness, was when he boasted about his weakness – his weak speech and personal presence.
Therefore, you too need to boast about your weaknesses. Because God will minister to those He has assigned you to in spite of your weakness. And after all, your weakness will hinder you from ministering from a conceited point.
But God’s grace, which is the foundation of Christianity, will avail God’s power in your weakness. And you will be able to minister from a point of humility.
Prayer/Blessing
Father in Heaven, please teach me to be humble. And also teach me to boast about my weaknesses. Because I want your grace to manifest in my life as you use me as a vessel to minister to the people around me.
I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Ephesians 1-3 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
