2 Corinthians 12: 7 “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
I’m in the middle of reading a book entitled, “I Prayed and Nothing Changed”, by Ste Casey. I want to share this devotion with you because I’m hoping, by God‘s Providence, that some of you will resonate with what Paul shared with us in the passage above, and the title of this book I’m reading.
So how about it? Have you ever asked God to change something in your life and his answer was no? Or, have you prayed and prayed and prayed and all you heard was silence? Me too. It seems paradoxical. I mean, how can my heavenly Father, who loved me so much that he sent his son to die a horrible death, on my behalf, so that my sins are forgiven, seem to leave me hanging when I need him most?
Let’s take a look at a few things that we can pull out of the passage in 2 Corinthians.
- It’s an invitation to recognize our weaknesses and embrace God’s strength.
- It’s a reminder that we are always reliant on God, even when we have made a plan.
- It’s a way to experience God’s grace in the middle of the fire.
- It’s a way to recognize that God’s power is more evident when we are weak.
Bereans, God’s grace is enough to sustain us, even in our weaknesses. It is in our vulnerability that God’s power is most clearly seen and experienced. At the end of the day, God’s strength shines brightest when we are weak and rely on Him completely.
In his book, Casey makes the point that we must embrace those times when God seems to be silent. He points out the story of Job and how God released Satan to attack Job with a devastating barrage of calamity and death that was unrelenting. The focus then shifts to Jesus in the garden where the Son of God pleads for the cup of judgment and wrath to be removed, but the Father is silent. Again, our view shifts to the cross where the Son cries out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”, and now last, but most importantly, we shield our eyes as the Father answers, and the stone is rolled away. A brilliant light of a thousand suns shines forth and Jesus emerges. The ultimate answer to all of our prayers.
Dear Bereans, fear not when you lift your prayers to heaven and the answer to your prayers is no or silence. Hold fast to the promise that Jesus, our Great High Priest, is forever interceding for us before our Heavenly Father. Rejoice in the certain hope that all of His children’s prayers will be answered on that day when we behold our Savior face to face.
Jeremy Camp – There Will Be A Day
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Terry B.
