Gospel Rediscovered

There come points in a person’s life where he must come back to his roots. That time has come to me in the last few weeks. For the first time in my life, I have been experiencing slow, steady growth, when before I seemed to be riding a spiritual roller coaster and could never seem to get off the ride. But now for the first time I can…

breathe.

I saw Paul’s thorn in the flesh very clearly in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 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. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I can identify with Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Like the enemies of the Israelites, my pitfall is always there—always a nuisance—taking pot shots—seeming too strong to kill. I feel like I don’t have any strength sometimes. I feel buffeted about like a rag doll sometimes, and in these times It is Well usually becomes my heart-cry:

Though Satan should buffet / Though trials should come / Let this blessed assurance control: / That Christ has regarded my helpless estate / And has shed His own blood for my soul!

I am completely helpless without my Savior because by myself I cannot stand. So in comes grace—completely sufficient and covering all my failures—which is good enough to both forgive me completely and strengthen me! And here is why strength is made perfect in weakness: because my list of unfulfilled laws was swapped with Christ on the cross with His fulfillment of all the laws and His ability to resist the Devil.

So after I realize that the “cup” of my trials now is absolutely nothing compared to the Cup of Christ’s sufferings, I can rejoice! And I have no choice but to boast in what He has done, because the grace that comes through His perfect death is the same grace that gives me strength in all my trials.

Jude 24-25

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.