Grace

 

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.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

Paul had a ‘thorn in the flesh’. We don’t know for sure what it was. We know he had an eye condition because the Galatians Christians would have plucked their eyes out and given them him if they could! So maybe that was his thorn in the flesh.

Another contender for Paul’s thorn in the flesh was some opponent to his ministry. In the old testament, Canaanite enemies of God’s people are described as thorns in their flesh. So perhaps there’s some known (like Demas or Alexander) or unknown opponent of Paul referred to here.

Essentially however, we don’t know for sure what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was because we don’t need to know. What we do need to know is that God’s powerful grace is sufficient for us in whatever we’re going through. The Apostle Paul wasn’t a special case: God’s gracious power is sufficient for us all.

Paul had weaknesses, effective though he was for the gospel. At the very least he had an eye condition and opponents to his ministry. Yet Christ’s power was good enough for Him.

‘Almighty God, we’re so grateful that Your powerful grace is enough even for weaklings like us. May You be glorified in our lives, for the honour of Your name, amen’