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"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."
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
All of us must walk through hard times. These long nights of the soul come in various ways: the death of a loved one, health issues, financial hardship, etc. Until we arrive in heaven, we are going to experience some rough patches along the road of life. I believe that there are three different types of people reading this devotion today: those who just came out of a trial, those who are currently experiencing a trial, and others who are about to enter a tough season of life.
How should we respond when we are walking in the valley, when it seems that whatever could possibly go wrong is going wrong? I think it is good to keep in mind that we are not being singled out and that God is not playing some cruel joke on us. No, not at all. Because we live in a fallen world where sin dwells, we experience these vicissitudes of life. Have you ever noticed when a hardship invades your otherwise tranquil soul, that one of your first temptations is to get mad at God? Guess where this thought comes from? Yes, you got it: straight from hell itself! The enemy of our souls takes pleasure in accusing us to God and God to us.
Last week, I had a tough week. I knew it was going to be hard, as I was facing multiple physical tests. I had put them off long enough and had to get it done. The test that hurt the most was the COVID-19 test! I am grateful to God that all the tests came back negative, and my health is very strong. I did have a tooth extracted, and I am dealing with the pain of that even as I type today's devotion. I had a root fracture in the number 14 tooth in the upper left area of my mouth. Periodontist Kurt Delius performed the surgery and did a great job. While extracting the stubborn tooth, he said there were multiple fractures in the root structure, and it was a good thing I was having it removed. I was finished in an hour and then went to work. (Both my wife and admin shook their heads and told me I should be at home.) That night about 7:00PM, I got a phone call from Dr. Delius' office, and I expected it to be one of his staff checking on me. I was pleasantly surprised, though, that it was Dr. Delius himself calling.
One of the things that can help us greatly while going through a trial is to look for the positive even during the pain. You may have to look a little harder at times, but there is always a ray of hope, even during the darkest storms. No one does this better than my wife, Ashley. She is the most positive person I know, and no matter the difficulty that comes her way, she always has a positive response, a half-full glass, for sure!
I love the positive response of Paul in our text for today. He even boasts in his weaknesses, because during these infirmities, he experiences the power of Christ. What a wonderful response and insight.
Are you going through a struggle? God loves you and will walk with you through it. He will give you His power as you rely on Him. I am praying for you even now that God would give you peace, patience, and the ability to rejoice because of the power of God in your life.
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