TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

God’s strength is most evident during the moments when a person feels weakest and uncertain.

Paul went through insult, pain, and difficulty. When I read the bible, I see that these are not meant to push believers toward giving up. Instead, God’s power, made available through sustaining grace, remains sufficient regardless of the circumstance.

2 Corinthians 12:9 comes in the context of Paul describing a “thorn in the flesh,” a persistent hardship he repeatedly asked God to remove. Instead, God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul therefore learned to rely on Christ’s strength rather than his own.

Consider the lives the apostles lived and the problems they faced. They didn’t accomplish everything they wanted. Instead, they were drawn closer to God through their sufferings. In Philippians 4:13 Paul explains that he has learned to be content whether he has plenty or is suffering from hunger and need. When he says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” he means that Christ gives him the strength to endure every circumstance and remain faithful, not that he can accomplish anything he desires.

Do you turn to God when times are tough?