Sing to God a New Song. How about an old forgotten hymn? "Grace, Grace, God's Grace. Grace that will pardon and cleanse within. Grace, Grace, God's Grace that is greater than all our sin."
Paul learned about grace the same way we all must learn--through seeing our weakness and God's provision. The thorn in his flesh caused him great pain and it was not removed. It was there as an acute reminder of weakness. It had a purpose. To keep him from pride over the great revelations he had received. He saw the purpose God had in it. Pride, conceit would have stolen God's glory for himself and ruined his relationship with the Lord. God's response to our natural side (when we see it) is not to destroy us, but show us a greater way of hope. God's power is made perfect in the very things, our weaknesses, that we would try to hide. So instead of bragging about his great accomplishments, he bragged about his weaknesses so that Christ's power would rest upon him. He actually delighted in his weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, persecutions, difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12-13. When I don't have to defend myself anymore, or live in fear of my weakness being exposed--what freedom, what peace.
Ephesians 2:7; 4:7; James 4:6; 1 Peter 1:2; Matthew 11:28
In His Love, a work in progress
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