Ephesians: 3:13 Paul said not to be discouraged by the suffering he was enduring for Jesus.
1 Cor 4:9-13; 2 Cor 11:24-29, 12:7-10.
-The "thorn" was given to Paul- God allowed Satan to do it.
-Sometimes God's best answer is NO. Maybe what we are enduring is to remind us that God is sufficient, and we can count on Him. If God allowed us to be free of suffering all of the time, we would rely on ourselves and would not learn to be dependent upon God. It was in God's NO, where Paul was able to experience God's sufficient grace and mercy.
-Let God's strength rest on you. Lean into Him. 2 Cor 12:9. In our weakness, God steps in and covers us with His strength and grace.
-We need to delight in the hard stuff. 2 Cor 12:10. How? Not sure, but start by knowing that this is a time when we are able to see God step in and shine the brightest in and through our lives.
-The "thorn" was given to Paul- God allowed Satan to do it.
-Sometimes God's best answer is NO. Maybe what we are enduring is to remind us that God is sufficient, and we can count on Him. If God allowed us to be free of suffering all of the time, we would rely on ourselves and would not learn to be dependent upon God. It was in God's NO, where Paul was able to experience God's sufficient grace and mercy.
-Let God's strength rest on you. Lean into Him. 2 Cor 12:9. In our weakness, God steps in and covers us with His strength and grace.
-We need to delight in the hard stuff. 2 Cor 12:10. How? Not sure, but start by knowing that this is a time when we are able to see God step in and shine the brightest in and through our lives.
Let the Bible encourage us not to look at our suffering so closely, but look to God continually. Let Jesus be sufficient.
Ephesians 3:13 Good uses sufferings for our good and his glory. 2 Cor 4:16-18
