Post by Adrienne on May 4, 2016 21:59:35 GMT -5
Dear friends,
Eric posted about this passage and reminded me that I wanted to post about the sermon my pastor gave at church yesterday.
Verses 7-10:
"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. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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. 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."
The message was about how often there will be a problem in our lives that God doesn't take away, even though we pray repeatedly about it. We have to trust that God has a good reason to have this problem consistently in our life. For example, it is often through our prayer about this problem that we are able to have a much stronger relationship with God! And also, many times, God is able to be glorified in amazing ways due to the nature of this long-term problem... Just think, if you have a cold for a day and God heals you: GREAT! But if you have cancer for months/years and are healed, how great of a testimony is that, for the glorification of God and the salvation of many souls? Another example... the woman with the blood discharge for TWELVE YEARS.
Just a reminder that God has an amazing plan and purpose in each one of our lives, marriages, and stands. My pastor even specifically mentioned someone's spouse being this "thorn," as an example to the congregation in his sermon. Let's continue trusting that God has a special purpose and He certainly hears our prayers. He's got this!
God bless you all, my friends. I continue in prayer for each of you always.
Eric posted about this passage and reminded me that I wanted to post about the sermon my pastor gave at church yesterday.
Verses 7-10:
"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. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 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. 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."
The message was about how often there will be a problem in our lives that God doesn't take away, even though we pray repeatedly about it. We have to trust that God has a good reason to have this problem consistently in our life. For example, it is often through our prayer about this problem that we are able to have a much stronger relationship with God! And also, many times, God is able to be glorified in amazing ways due to the nature of this long-term problem... Just think, if you have a cold for a day and God heals you: GREAT! But if you have cancer for months/years and are healed, how great of a testimony is that, for the glorification of God and the salvation of many souls? Another example... the woman with the blood discharge for TWELVE YEARS.
Just a reminder that God has an amazing plan and purpose in each one of our lives, marriages, and stands. My pastor even specifically mentioned someone's spouse being this "thorn," as an example to the congregation in his sermon. Let's continue trusting that God has a special purpose and He certainly hears our prayers. He's got this!
God bless you all, my friends. I continue in prayer for each of you always.
