God's Strength is our Victory!

Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane

"2 Corinthians 12:9  My Grace is Sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness" this scripture is one that I have mulled over for years trying to understand exactly how knowing this truth is suppose to help me through physical pain. Here, the great Apostle Paul suffered from a thorn in his flesh, a seemingly physical ailment that he wanted God to remove. But he prayed several times, and the ailment remained.  No doubt like many of us Paul was probably frustrated and confused.  Isn't God suppose to answer all of our  prayers? Isn't that what His word says? Well yes. I believe He does answer, but in some cases like this one we don't like the answer that He gives!

I think I am finally accepting in the way of truth, that every victory or answered prayer is not manifested in a physical deliverance from a situation. (Pardon me as I let out a huge sigh  and a  Lord help me?!)  Just as Paul cried out for deliverance, and Jesus, the Son of God cried out in the Garden of Gethsemane we also cry out for the "removal" of pain and suffering. But as we know in these two examples the suffering remained. If God loves us so much why would He let us suffer so much regardless of how hard we pray to escape it?  I believe He is trying to get us to fully rely on Him and not ourselves. 

Faith in God is not solely believing that He will be there to deliver us out of something. It is not saying a few coined phrases and  tossing our spiritually around to get what we want and when "WE" want it. I've been saved long enough to know, it doesn't always work that way.    

 But it is trusting that even in pain and suffering His will is being done. In our weakness God is made strong. It is the Victory that God is looking for. A victory where He alone is glorified.  Only through the strength of God can a man do what Paul did in his ministry continuously knowing that all of His wants were not met. Paul suffered greatly, and without the Grace and strength of God he would have given up. Just like many of us.  

Only the strength of God can give a man enough resolve to decide, "Not my will, but thy will be done", when He was asked to die for people who didn't love or accept Him! Wow, now what was I complaining about again? Lord I thank you for Victory in your Strength.