Q2. Weakness to Strength

[Krissi]

What was the life-changing lesson that Paul learned from God when God denied his prayer? Well, first, that God doesn't always answer prayer to the affirmative. God does say "NO" to us regarding things that are good, for our benefit and not against the scripture; good things, that is. Paul could have been much healthier without the thorn -- we don't know -- but whatever the case, God saw to deny him healing. Second, Paul learned that in this case, God denied him for a reason, to make him dependent on Him and seek His grace.

Only when Paul felt hopeless and powerless did he turn to God for the grace to endure the thorn. God empowered Paul to keep going. Paul was very aware of God's grace and power because of his thorn.

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How does self sufficiency limit God's power ...?  This is one of the questions that I have never been able to answer. Obviously, God is all powerful and can do whatever He chooses to do without us yet chooses to use human instruments to accomplish His will. Most of the time, we have to do our part. 

The ability to obey and do for God is connected to our own human giftedness. This is why the gifts of the spirit are so difficult to discern; for some of us, our own giftedness gets in the way and we're unable to know what is "just" God and what is ourselves. Another way of putting this is we have abilities that make us sufficient in some areas. All of us do. This is why secular people don't roll over and die; they, too, are naturally gifted and have the capacity to be self-sufficient.

But there's a kind of self-sufficiency that is different than just the ability to make it through the world successfully without God, and I'm having problems putting my finger on it. It may be pride. Hubris. But, it also may be just the ability to see a problem or a mountain and find a path through it ... without asking God for his strength and path. 

So -- I'm trying to get at the answer ... really !! -- perhaps what God requires of us is not weakness but humility. Though we can do it ourselves, we CHOOSE to submit to God by asking HIm for His answer and then forcing ourselves to sit on our hands and wait until God tells us what to do. Often, His plan is not the one we expected so we have to swallow our pride and do things that makes very little sense. 

This is no better, by the way, than the person who knows he cannot do the task before him, who has not the ability or vision to complete it, and is, then, completely dependent on God's grace and power. The Christian life is very leveling in this way.

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Can we become dependent upon God without having to experience some “thorn in the flesh” ourselves? 

First, Yes. That's what I was describing above, when a person who knows he can, by himself accomplish something instead chooses to submit to God's timing and direction. Furthermore, there are very blessed people who seem to have happy lives as Christians. They have good marriages, good health, good friends, etc., and STILL grow as Christians as exemplary faith-filled individuals. They have very little suffering in their lives. 

Second, No. Most of us suffer our way toward sanctification. Whether is by a thorn or something done to us, deserved or undeserved, we suffer greatly. That suffering, in itself, causes us to cry out to God for His grace and comfort. Suffering causes us to turn to Him in anger and desperation because only He can relieve us. Like Paul, many of us suffer unto death. God chooses to never relieve us from certain forms of pain and suffering.

I'm sure you've seen unhealed Christians who are godly people, truly admirable, who suffer horrible or disfiguring physical ailments. There's an emotional parallel to this as well -- I have an unhealed friend who has been manic-depressive all her life and has suffered greatly from it -- others around her have suffered, too. In some cases, these unhealed people seem to suffer for a purpose, to develop kindness and character, love and patience. But there are those who become bitter and fall away from God. That's always tragic.

All I know is that in my sad, little life, every spiritual growth spurt made has been precipitated by some sort of suffering.