In Sickness and in Health

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  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 12:8-9No one is perfect and no one expresses this more profoundly than the Apostle Paul. Paul speaks of his weakness as an opportunity to experience the power of God. Imperfection makes us more relatable especially since we are all imperfect beings. But although Paul freely shares his weakness, his imperfections, he also shows his humanness and the desire to be free from them.Paul was afflicted with a thorn in the flesh and he pleaded with the Lord to remove it from him. The scriptures didn’t say what the thorn was; it could have been an illness, a physical condition, a situation etc. The Lord would not remove it. Notice the scripture conveys would not, it doesn’t say the Lord could not. Prior to this plea from Paul experienced a revelation that was so perceivably amazing that he could use it to lord over others making himself appear as someone of great importance, boasting about what had been revealed to him. Instead, Paul came to the understanding that this thorn was given to keep him from becoming conceited because of the things God had shown him.God can teach many things through our sickness and frailty.  The negativity we face may actually be the result of God’s will and His desire that we rely on Him and not our own strength.Our illness, trouble, frustrations, disease etc. are opportunities to share our faith in a profound way. They are not always the result of evil spirits or something you have done wrong. See it as an occasion to share your steadfast faith in God. For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).Whether in sickness or in health, always praise God!