Context No. 2761 of 4322 · 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:1-9: in context

1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast, but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows. 3I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), 4how he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me or hears from me. 7By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. 8Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Forced to defend his ministry, Paul reaches for the one credential that should silence his critics: a man caught up to the third heaven, to Paradise, hearing things too holy to repeat. It was himself, fourteen years earlier, and yet he will not boast in it. Instead he tells us what came afterward. A thorn in the flesh was given him, a messenger of Satan to keep him from being lifted up, and three times he begged the Lord to take it away.

The answer was not removal but a word: my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Paul wanted the thorn gone; God wanted Paul to know his grace. In the end it was not the glorious vision that kept him steady but the thorn, because the thorn kept him leaning on grace instead of on himself. So he learns to glory not in the trip to heaven but in his weakness, the very place where the power of Christ comes to rest on him.

When I beg God to remove a weakness and he does not, can I believe his grace in it is better for me than the relief I asked for?

Sources

2 Corinthians 12:9: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
2 Corinthians 4:7: "But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves."
Psalm 73:26: "My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."