2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Let’s go!
2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (NIV)
1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know–God knows.
3 And I know that this man–whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows–
4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.
On verses 1-6: Why does Paul go on boasting even though “there is nothing to be gained” (v1) by it? It’s because the Corinthian Christians have kept on comparing Paul to the “super apostles” who make all sorts of boasts about how spiritual they are and how accomplished they are. The church in Corinth was starting to lose confidence in Paul and look down on him, since he wasn’t in the habit of flaunting his resume the way the super apostles would. So to put the matter the rest and to show that Paul is not the least bit “inferior to the ‘super apostles’”, Paul shares about the powerful spiritual experiences he has had with the Lord in the past. The man he refers to in verses 2-4 is himself. Paul clearly feels out of place doing this and would much prefer to boast about his weaknesses than to boast about his past spiritual experiences (v5).
What can we learn from this? When at all possible, it is best to keep silent and not get into quarrels with others, but there also comes a point when it is important to defend yourself against your critics and to stand up for yourself. Paul’s actions here show that being a Christian does not mean that you must be a doormat for others to step on all the time. Part of being confident and humble in Christ is about serving others and not doing or saying things for your own glory. But another part of being confident and humble in Christ is taking a stand for yourself and for those you love when necessary.
2 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
On verse 7: Paul is much more comfortable boasting about his weaknesses and limitations than boasting about his strengths and accomplishments. So here we see Paul sharing about quite possibly his biggest weakness. Despite how close Paul was to Jesus Christ, there was a struggle in Paul’s life that was so painful and persistent he called it a “thorn in the flesh”. What exactly was that thorn in the flesh? Was it a physical illness or a handicap? Was it a person who kept pestering him? Was it a temptation that he kept encountering? We don’t know. All we know is that it was such a difficult struggle for Paul that he described it as “torment”, something that caused him great frustration, pain and suffering. And no matter how much Paul prayed, for some reason God would never take that thorn away. I respect Paul’s leadership and how willing he was to be real with his congregation about his struggles.
What do you do when you face trouble that won’t seem to go away? How do you experience God’s power in your weakness? In verses 8-10 below, we will learn three things you can do when you face trouble that won’t seem to go away.
2 Corinthians 12:8 (NIV)
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
On verse 8: When Paul faced trouble that wouldn’t go away, he would keep going back into God’s presence and ask God for help and strength (“Three times I pleaded with the Lord”). What can we learn from this? The first thing to do when you’re facing trouble that won’t go away is spend time in God’s presence regularly.
In my most stressful times, when it seems like a problem won’t go away, nothing helps me more than getting into the presence of God. After I’ve spent time in God’s presence, my circumstances might not have changed, but my heart to face those circumstances will often have changed.
Are you spending time in God’s presence regularly? One of God’s greatest presents is His presence! So access that gift often.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
9 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
On verse 9a: The second thing you do when you’re facing trouble that will not go away is: Listen for God’s Word. When Paul took the time to listen to God, God spoke a word into Paul’s heart to help him overcome the trouble in his life. As he writes in verse 9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
God is often speaking to us. The question is: are we listening? When you listen to God’s Word, it puts faith and wisdom in your heart to face the challenge in front of you.
How do you know if you are hearing from God, or if it’s just your own idea? 4 clues: (1) It’s consistent with Scripture (God will never say anything that contradicts His own written word); (2) It promotes the character of Christ in you (i.e. it’s encouraging you to live, think and act more like Jesus); (3) It is accompanied by God’s peace; and (4) It is affirmed by spiritual leaders in your life.
2 Corinthians 12:9b-10 (NIV)
9 …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
On verse 9b-10: The third thing to do when you face trouble that will not go away is: Delight in the trouble. How weird is that? Who delights in their trouble? Yet that’s what Paul says in verses 9b-10: “9 …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
How can Paul “delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties”? By seeing his suffering not as punishment from God, but as an opportunity for God to show His power through Paul’s life.
Similarly, see your trouble not as a curse or a punishment from God, but as an opportunity for God to display His power in and through your life. That’s what it means to delight in the trouble. If you will respond to trouble in the right way, God will use that difficulty to refine you (make you stronger), remind you (that earth is not your final home, but heaven is) and reveal His power through your life.
Like Paul, may you spend time in God’s presence (v8), listen for His voice (v9), and see your trouble with eyes of faith, as an opportunity for God to show His power (v9b-10). No matter what trouble you are in today, remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you.
Heavenly Father, I hang on to You today. May I have ears to hear what You are saying. Please help me to see the trouble I am in as an opportunity for Your power to be displayed. Thank You that Your grace is always sufficient for me, no matter what trouble I am in. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
