And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure, (8) Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. (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. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecution’s, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The 2nd letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. In the second half of this letter Paul is responding the the report that a minority of the church there were strongly opposed to Paul – Paul described the Opposition as Jewish false teachers or “super apostles”. These men were challenging his authority and status as an apostle; his teaching, his actions, and his character. One claim was that Paul was inferior because of his affliction – his thorn in the side. They were proclaiming a different Jesus, a different spirit and a different gospel
In chapter 12 Paul spoke of “a man in Christ” (himself) who had been drawn up to the third heaven some 14 years earlier- because of that great revelation he had been given a “thorn in his side” to keep him humble; it reminded him of his limitations. Scripture is silent on what this “thorn” was. God did not cause it but permitted it. The repetition of Paul’s ask for removal of the thorn shows how intensely Paul wanted it gone. God’s answer was that His grace was sufficient and that God’s “ strength is made perfect in weakness”. The greater our weakness the more we sense God’s power. Our success does not depend on our natural abilities but on Gods power working in us. This is a warning of spiritual peril that accompanies great gifts. There is a poison of pride which is man’s ruin and the last vice to contend with. Imagine, this was Paul who had not subdued pride!
Chapter five of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states this principle of finding strength in God through our weakness. – “Remember that we deal with alcohol – cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power – that One is God. May you find Him now! Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.”
God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.