I am thinking about 2 Corinthians 12:10 today!
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.
3 things that caught my attention as I read this verse are - Christ’s sake, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, weakness and strength.
Paul’s delight in weakness is not for himself but he does this for the sake of Christ. I am able to see Paul’s deep love for Christ. Paul had this nature of fighting against his own self. There are many of his verses that talk about this. There are desires of the flesh which are contrary to the desires of the spirit. But he beat up his body and train himself to be godly, to be a lover of Christ. This is something very admirable about Paul. He took the love and the blood of Christ that was shed for him very seriously. He delights in weakness not for his own benefit but for the sake of Christ.
As he preached and tried to live a faithful and godly life he faced - insults. Everyone in their hearts has this deep need and longing to be loved and accepted. But Paul was insulted which means he was not accepted for who he is. Hardships - there were times he had to endure difficult times. Persecutions - He had to go through persecutions from believers, non-believers - the whole world seemed was against him and many other endless difficulties. These bitter experiences was his life. He was powerless and defenseless in front of many terrible events.
But he confessed that when he is weak he is strong. He is not fighting back or grumbling against all this his heart went through. Rather he submitted himself to this pain quietly hoping that God’s power would cover him and his testimony is that though he is weak he is strong. This is something unusual. When I am weak it means that I am weak. But God’s power took over Paul as he brought out his weaknesses in front of God.
Amen