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2 Corinthians 12:9
Strength in Weakness
2 Corinthians 12:9
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
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Why it is worth knowing
- God’s answer to Paul’s plea for removal of suffering was not yes: it was “my grace is sufficient for you”
- Weakness is not an obstacle to God’s power: it is the very condition for it
- Paul’s response is paradoxical: boasting in weakness
- “Power is made perfect in weakness” means God’s strength is most fully displayed when human strength is absent
Where it sits: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
Hear the passage it sits in, sung word for word, on BibleDo's 2 Corinthians page.
Background
Paul had received extraordinary visions of heaven (verses 1-6) and then was given a “thorn in the flesh” to prevent pride. He prayed three times for its removal: mirroring Jesus in Gethsemane. God’s response was not healing but grace: “my grace is sufficient.” The Greek word for “sufficient” (arkei) means “to be enough, to ward off want.” What God was saying is that his grace does not merely supplement Paul’s weakness: it is adequate to meet every need. Paul’s response (gladly boasting in weakness) is one of the most radical postures in Scripture.