Glorifying God In Our Weaknesses As His Joyful Followers

In Sunday’s message, the first sermon in our Isaiah 40-55 series, we brought out that though we can expect great things from God in the age we live, we cannot expect life to be pain or trouble-free. Since we brought up this subject, I thought it might be good to look at the Apostle Paul’s view toward weaknesses and difficulties in his own life, as stated in 2 Corinthians 12:9—to give perspective on how we ought to approach them.

Let’s start with the context of this verse.

Chapter 12 continues the thrust seen in 11:16-33. Paul is calling the Corinthians not to boast in self-effort or human accomplishments or credentials (as his opponents do). Paul continues to make the point that he could boast if he desired. After all, fourteen years earlier he received a glorious vision from God that may cause anyone to think he is really something. But, Paul’s point is that regardless of experiences or ministry successes and the like, he will not boast about or trust in anyone but Christ (1-6).

He goes on to say that in order to keep him from boasting a “thorn in the flesh” was given him, also called “a messenger of Satan to harass” him (7). In context, it seems most likely that what is being said here is that Paul was afflicted with a physical malady sent by Satan (but ultimately decreed by God since its purpose was to keep him humble). Though Paul repeatedly prayed for its removal, the Lord said, “No,” and told him that his grace is sufficient because in such situations Christ’s servants are able to see his sufficiency and his power in even greater ways because of their weaknesses and are able to see more clearly the need to trust him (8-9). So, Paul makes the point that his boasting and trust are in his weaknesses and Christ’s strength, not in his abilities and credentials, for these kinds of things keep his heart and mind focused in the right direction, namely on the strength and glory of Christ (9-10). As such, Paul is content in his sufferings and difficulties, even if the Corinthians and his opponents suggest these somehow show his inferiority.

This prepares us to zero in on verse nine. Here is how it reads: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

In the first half of this verse Paul records the response of Jesus Christ to his prayers to remove the thorn in the flesh.  Literally, the verse begins this way:  “And he has said to me”. The way this is worded suggests that Jesus Christ said this in the past and its effect has continued on in the present. In other words, what he said in the past still stands.

There are two parts to the short message from Christ. First, literally, “My grace is continually sufficient for you.” What Jesus Christ is saying here is that his transforming and empowering unmerited favor (“grace”) has been and continues to be enough for Paul to go on in a way that honors God and carries out every good work to which he is called (2 Cor. 9:8), even though he currently struggles with this malady. There is nothing else Paul needs to honor God with great joy other than the empowerment that comes from Jesus Christ.

Before we move on we must pause and note something very important about the point that Jesus Christ makes to Paul. If our joyful God-glorifying service rested in our comfort, in our health, in having all the right circumstances in accordance with what we had deemed necessary, then the grace of Jesus Christ would not be sufficient. In other words, Paul would need to be delivered from the thorn; he would need to have better and more comfortable, more palatable circumstances restored to him. However, if these things are not necessary for his greatest purpose and pleasure in life, then this text makes perfect sense. We must not miss the implication arising from this text about what our chief end is and how it is accomplished. We exist to glorify God by enjoying him forever and this is often aided by suffering!

The second part of the message from Jesus Christ gives the reason why (“for”) the first part is true. Literally, we read: “For power is perfected in weakness.” Somehow, what the Savior is teaching is that power from Jesus Christ to glorify God through faith-fueled living is made complete, i.e. it reaches its full potential, in the sphere or situation of weakness.  Verse 10 moves us closer to how this works: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” When we are weak, we are driven to trust in Jesus Christ even more and, as such, we look to him in an even greater way for his help, for his grace, for his power. As such, not only do we see more of his power displayed in such times, but also that power shines forth all the more brightly up against our weakness. It seems to me the comparison of the power to the weakness is also intended, not just the movement to trust more, since the thorn is not removed. If it were only about the increased faith, one might argue that healing would display this where lack of healing might not. Yet, when the thorn stays, faith must be continual and there is also a continual trusting in Jesus Christ for the empowerment to make it through and to honor God in our contentment. The continued faith and display of Christ’s power up against our weakness shows how strong and how valuable Christ is.  He is worth the suffering and greater than it!

In the rest of the ninth verse Paul gives his conclusion (“therefore”) to the message from Jesus Christ: “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  The clause rendered “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,” gives a very emphatic sense of the pleasure, the gladness, Paul will have as he speaks of and lives with his weaknesses. Literally, it would be translated: “All the more I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses.” Very provocatively Paul is asserting, “Hey, you want to see pleasure or gladness?  I will show you the most intense pleasure as I boast in my weaknesses!” 

Paul does not merely say he will endure or begrudgingly embrace his weaknesses out of duty to Christ. He words this in a way that some armchair psychoanalysts may dub him “crazy, a masochist!”  How could Paul find such great pleasure and gladness in those things that hurt?  Simply because Paul finds such great delight in glorifying God in all he does (cf. Rom. 1:5; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 2:3; Phil. 1:9-11; 2:14-15) that if suffering would enable him to know God in a greater way, to serve him more, to increase his glorification of him, he is all for it!  After all, this is the man who affirms that for him to live is to put Christ on display, but to die is gain since he gets to be with Jesus (Phil. 1:21, 23). That is why Luke records these amazing words of the apostle in Acts 20:24:  “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, ‘to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.’”  Paul finds his absolutely radical pleasure in putting Jesus Christ on display through his life and ministry as he proclaims the gospel and, as such, if trials and difficulties aid in that task, he rejoices in them.

There is perhaps no one statement in all the Scriptures that displays what John Piper has termed “Christian Hedonism” any more than this one. There can be little doubt that the apostle shared with Piper (and others like Jonathan Edwards) this God-glorifying pleasure in the Savior that would move him to be glad in God and in all that God has for him. Whatever the Savior decrees for Paul is sufficient, provided that he gets to enjoy Jesus Christ and put him on display through the proclamation of the gospel of his grace and the living out of its entailments!  Oh, Christian, understand this is no mere dutiful submission by Paul, but a joy-filled, pleasure-producing embrace of whatever God decrees for him that enables him to enjoy God more and live for the fame of his name!

Note also that Paul writes: “I will boast…of my weaknesses” (lit. “with respect to my weaknesses”).  The plural suggests that Paul is taking the present situation of the thorn in the flesh and now broadening it to speak of all his weaknesses. It is as if he is saying, “Hey, if that is the case in regard to this thorn in the flesh, then I will boast in all my weaknesses!”  The apostle is using the verb “boast” here in its technical sense that speaks of both trusting in, as well as speaking confidently about, something or someone, namely the LORD.

The Old Testament background for this boasting is Jeremiah 9:23-24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” 

Elsewhere, Paul uses the verb in the same fashion (1 Cor 1:27-29; Eph. 2:2-10). When Paul says “I will boast…of my weaknesses,” he is saying that he will not treat them as if they mess up everything. Instead, he will use them to realize his dependence upon the Lord and will speak of Christ’s greatness. To boast of his weaknesses is a shorthand way of Paul saying, “I will put my confidence in and praise the Lord for his strength shown through my weaknesses; I will not put my confidence in myself!” And, keep in mind, he will do this with great pleasure!

Paul closes out his statement in this verse by affirming the purpose for his exceedingly glad boasting in the Lord working through his weaknesses:  “so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” The sense here is that Paul must look to Christ, trust in him, and praise him for his power, for his empowering grace, in order that Christ’s power may be experienced by him in its fullest sense. Paul wants this power to know Christ and make him known to his glory more than all things. This power is a secondary purpose to the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. It drives Paul to embrace suffering with exceeding gladness!

Oh, Christian, hear and heed what Paul is saying here. When we find our joy, our delight, our pleasure in Christ and glorifying him, there is nothing that can take that away, there is no suffering, trial, hardship (not even death itself! Phil. 1:21, 23) that can thwart our pleasure in our God and his ultimate purpose for us!  What is more, we see the important connection that empowering grace has to our ultimate purpose of glorifying God. Finally, we also see that John Piper’s dictum, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him,” is so true!  May it be so for us, who long to be his joyful followers!