True Power

There is a verse in the Bible that I did not truly understand until I had faced, fought and defeated cancer.

In II Corinthians 12, Paul explains that because of his "abundant revelation" from God, he received a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from being too full of himself. Whatever this thorn was, he prayed and prayed to have it removed, but the Lord's answer was this:

"My grace is enough for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

And this is the part I didn't understand until A.C. (after cancer):

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in distresses for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong." (verses 9-10)

The words "gladly" and "pleasure" had always thrown me. How could anyone ENJOY hardships? Enduring chemotherapy and watching what this present government is doing to our country are equally yucky processes that tear up the body and the mind. (One to cure a disease, and the other, unfortunately, to accelerate it.)

Then it came to me. It's not the difficult times, the painful experiences, the soul-wrenching distresses that bring us gladness. Of course not! It's the truth imparted, the knowledge well and truly learned that we can never be strong enough by ourselves; we need God. He is All-Sufficient for our needs. He is In Charge.

Always has been, always will. I find GREAT comfort in that knowledge, especially in these dark days!

"God has wisely kept us in the dark concerning future events and reserved for Himself the knowledge of them, that He may train us up in a dependence upon Himself and a continued readiness for every event." Matthew Henry