2 Corinthians 12:7-9 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
How many of us enjoy loss, pain, or suffering? I am sure some of you are probably asking, "What kind of silly question is that?" I know none of us enjoy suffering or experiencing pain. However, it is often through trials, loss, and pain that we gain the most spiritually. It is during the most difficult times in life, and our walk with Jesus, that we learn some of the greatest spiritual lessons. I still remember the time, many years ago, that I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I was at the height of ministry, traveling, singing and preaching in a number of different churches. Yet, at that moment that I was given the news, there was a peace that obviously came from the Lord as He reminded me that He already knew that there were lesions on my brain, long before the doctor told me. I often struggled with short term memory loss, feeling light-headed, fatigued, numbness on the left side of my face, and trouble speaking. Amazingly, whenever I had to get up to sing and preach, there was no hint whatsoever that I was struggling. The Lord carried me through that time, and not once did I struggle with speaking a word, singing a song, or recalling a verse of Scripture when I was behind the pulpit. As many prayed for me, as I prayed, and made some adjustments in my eating habit, the miraculous happened. At my last appointment, more that 11 years ago, the doctor informed me that he had never seen anything like what he saw in my MRI. He thought that the medication he prescribed, which I informed him I never took, had caused the lesions in my brain to heal. Needless to say, I was more than happy to tell him that the healing did not come from the medication, but as an answer to prayer to my God. As I left that last appointment, a great sadness came over me. Why, you ask? Well, because those weeks and months that I struggled with the symptoms of MS were the most intimate days I had with my Lord. I had to rely on Him like never before, as I had promised that even if He did not heal me, I would continue to sing and preach for as long as it was physically possible. Now that I was healed, I was afraid that of my own doing my level of intimacy with Jesus would decrease. It was during one of the most challenging and uncertain times of my life in ministry that I learned the most about my Lord. He showed just how amazing His grace was, and is, and how perfect His strength was in my weakness. As strange as it might sound to some, I remember that time of suffering with great fondness, and have not experienced another time of intimacy like that one. So, I say as the Apostle Paul said, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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