Here’s a spiritual secret … God sometimes allows painful, unpleasant things to happen to us and come our way (even remain – without delivering us) to display the marvel of His enabling grace in our lives and prove that His power works best in human weakness!
Apostle Paul experienced it… I read about it this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” … He experienced a “thorn in his flesh” and said, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time He said to me, ‘My grace is all you need! My power works best in weakness’… that’s why I rejoice in my weakness, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong!” (From 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10 NLT)
One of the hardest things for an excellent mentor (or loving parent) to do is stand back, let the protégé, son or daughter, wrestle with an issue, and [after all the life-lessons] allow them to struggle with an issue or challenge, and with assured presence and encouraging words, demonstrate they can handle it! That’s just a lot like what God does… His word to guide us, His Spirit to empower us, and His presence to encourage us, as we face trials He allows to come our way… NOT delivering us, but “gracing” us, empowering us, and encouraging us! God’s power displayed through human weakness… and the result? God glorified! “When I am weak, then am I strong!”
