lessons I learned along the way . Perhaps , brother pastor , you wrestle with insecurity . Maybe you wrestle with different thorns . Whatever thorn you find in your life , pray and ask God for help . Hopefully , He ’ ll take it away . But if He doesn ’ t , don ’ t let the thorn lead you to bitterness ; let it lead you to Him . That ’ s where grace and mercy and strength are supplied .
The Path to Strength
My grace is sufficient for you , for my power is perfected in weakness . ( 2 Cor . 12:9 )
The right path in life is usually the more difficult path . The path filled with pain and suffering is often where we find God . Jesus knew that path well . Jesus knew the only path to appease the wrath of the Father , and thus please His Father , was the path that led to the cross . And this painful path was not in vain .
In Matthew 10 , Jesus told His disciples everyone would hate them because of Him . In John 16 , Jesus stated plainly that in this world His disciples would have trouble . If you walk with Christ , suffering awaits ( cf . Phil . 1:29 ). Following Christ does not solve our earthly problems . Life doesn ’ t magically become easy after we say , “ I do ” to Christ . Any prosperity theology that says the opposite is not only false but also dangerous and deadly . In the Bible we see the opposite . We see men and women following Christ and dying as martyrs . We see Jesus , the Son of God , God in the flesh , come to His knees in the garden and pray three times for the cup to be taken away . Yet suffering awaits Him ( Luke 22 ). The path of suffering is a path Jesus and Jesus ’ people know all too well .
Though we want to bypass suffering and hardship , fruit often comes through suffering . Thankfully , Christ provides grace and strength in the midst of the struggles . God upholds . Jesus sustains . The Spirit keeps . And thus Paul says that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him ( Phil . 4:13 ).
The Path to Strength Is through the Pain
I get it . It doesn ’ t seem to make any sense ! But it ’ s true . This Greek word for power in 2 Corinthians 12 is dynamis . This word means “ power , mighty work , strength , and ability .” I love that ! Paul is strongest when he is weak . Why ? Because when he is weak , he depends on the power and strength of Christ , who is unbelievably strong .
Remember the story I told you about someone telling me my preaching was weak ? Well , I still had to get up and preach after that humiliating moment . Here is the rest of the story . I got up off of my knees and wiped away the tears , made my way to the sanctuary and then the pulpit . I preached with a different power that morning . It doesn ’ t happen every Sunday morning , but it did that Sunday . I had an overwhelming sense of dependence on the Spirit of God . I was desperate for God to speak through me . I was desperate for a Holy Spirit moment . This desperation was birthed out of my brokenness and insecurity ; it was birthed out of my weakness . Without feeling weak and broken , I may not have depended on God as much as I did that morning . That sermon led to the invitation , which led to a multitude of people giving their lives to Christ !
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