2 Corinthians 12:5-10
Strength in Weakness
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, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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. 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.
John 14:18
Jesus is Always Near
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
St. Paul suffered...He was given a thorn in his flesh -something he had to suffer with on a regular basis that sometimes tormented him...Three times he ask the LORD to cure him and give him relief, but the LORD would not...The LORD's answer was that His grace is sufficient for your trials -you will find My power in your weakness...How do we do that, or how can that be explained?...When I feel anxious or nervous or troubled for sometime, it is difficult for me to think is terms of being and feeling strong...I almost feel alone and detached from others in my troubled times...And sometimes in times of trouble, a little fear (if not a lot of fear) tries to creep in...
One sometimes looks at strength or success and may think it is in being affluent, not being submissive to others, or being rich, not being meek, not being weak, or how to use one's knowledge and work habits to surpass the other guy...Jesus finds strengths in our weaknesses...We may need Him more in our trials and times of our weaknesses...As He taught His Twelve Disciples, He did not teach them how to become affluent, how to get and be rich...And He did not give them a lot of knowledge on how to be shrewd and outsmart the next guy or their neighbors...We find that Jesus teaches us to be last (rather than first), to be humble, to help the helpless, to be gentle to others, to be of service to others...These are the true signs of strength...Jesus taught about being gentile and meek...
During Jesus arrest, trial, and death on the cross for us -He appeared weak...But, especially, after His resurrection, St. Paul and Jesus' disciples learned more and understood the statement better -for when I am weak, then I am strong... Jesus taught us that being submissive and doing the will of His Father, is a sign of great strength...Having mercy toward others, and being completely full of Love and Grace makes one very strong...
Jesus is near us...His name is Immanuel, which means God with us...He promises us to be in the valley of our troubles with us...He will never leave us as orphans...When we are in trouble, He will come to us...Jesus is the Truth...His meekness and His gentleness are such strong parts of His character that He has no fear around Him...His characteristics make Him completely unwavering in His uncompromising nature of Him being the Truth...