His Grace is Sufficient

I have found that MS makes me weak...physically and mentally.  I have never been a weak person until this disease took hold of my body.  It is something I do not like because it means change for me. It has caused me to take a deeper look at myself and my life around me, although that has not been a bad thing because it has caused me to take a deeper look into my faith and the hope that lies there. A scripture crossed my path this morning that made me think even deeper about this weakness that I now possess.  2 Corinthians 12:9 " But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (NIV)  Paul was enduring a great suffering, a "thorn in his flesh"(v7) yet he rejoiced in that suffering. God didn't take this thorn away and I had to ask myself why.  I also suffer with a thorn in my flesh, the thorn of Multiple Sclerosis, and what a thorn it can be!! I relate to Paul's cry to have the Lord "take it away from him" (v8). But I realized, through these scriptures that something beautiful is happening.  God works through our weakness, his power can work beautifully when we are at our weakest point. Paul continues by saying " I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power my rest on me" (v9) and I realized that I should rejoice in my own thorn, because Christ's power can then rest on me.  I no longer look at this disease as a thorn, but rather a blessing.  It is a true blessing to have Christ's power laid on you. It is an awakening experience that will change your life.  The decision I have made to see this disease as a blessing will allow Christ to work many wonders, not just in my life but the life of others.  "That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in (my) weakness, in (my) insults, in (my) hardships, in (my) persecutions, in (my ) difficulties, For when I am weak, then I am strong. (v10) ( "my"parenthesis added by me).  I will delight when I am weak and and struggling, I will delight when I am insulted by others because of my illness, I will delight in the hardships that this illness has put in front of me, I will delight in persecutions I face in Christ's name and I will delight in my difficulties, why? Because I am weak and I am covered in the strength of Jesus Christ!!!

Lord God almighty, I praise you with every breath I take.  You have made me strong, even though I am weak. You have given me wisdom to make it through, knowing that I am not going to be taken out of every trial in my life, but that you will be there to give me the strength I need to endure. How beautiful is this disease that it has brought me more strength than I could have ever imagined, it has brought me closer to you. Amen.