When quarantine hit back in early March 2020, many of us had to come up with creative ways to exercise from home. The other day, I was talking to one of my friends about her experience using an "at home" workout app. As we talked, she told me how surprised she was at how much stronger she had become as a result of using this app. In fact, her "heavy" weights were becoming almost too light. That conversation made me think. Adversity of any kind, including exercise, is meant to make us stronger. Adversity grows our figurative (and literal) muscles each time we face it. While never fun, adversity makes us stronger. Perhaps this is why the apostle Paul willingly endured so much hardship throughout his life.
Paul reflected on the many trials and hardships he had endured in 2 Corinthians 11. In this chapter, he shared that he endured beatings, being shipwrecked, being robbed, facing sleepless nights, being without food, and being without adequate clothing to keep him warm. One of these hardships is enough to set a person back, let alone all of them. These obstacles did not hold Paul back. He persisted despite all of the challenges he faced. He kept going throughout all of his weaknesses. As he reflected on all of these hardships he faced, Paul said, "Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am." (verses 29-30). Clearly, Paul understood his hardships and obstacles, but he saw them as something to boast about. Why? He explains in 2 Corinthians 12 that in his weaknesses, God's power is made perfect (verse 9). In other words, Paul's weakness displayed God's power. As a result, Paul wrote, "When I am weak, then I am strong" (verse 10). Do not miss this truth: Paul's weakness and hardships made him grow; they made him stronger. We see evidence of Paul's growth and strength throughout his life as he persisted in his calling to spread the Good News about Jesus all over the world, despite all of his weaknesses, obstacles, and hardships. He spread the Good News of Jesus until his very last breath.
Perhaps today, you need the reminder that hardships bring growth and strength. Whatever challenges and hardships you are facing today, you can trust that God will use them. He will use every single one of them to grow you and make you stronger. And growth is vital for each and every one of us.
What hardship are you facing right now? Take some time to think about how God has already used that adversity to make you stronger. Pull out a sheet of paper or your journal, and list all of the ways you are stronger because of your adversity. Next, spend some time thinking about the ways you hope God will continue to grow you throughout the rest of your adversity. Ask God to continue to strengthen you and help you grow through this trial and all of the hardships that you face.
Paul’s Many Trials
Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little. Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool. And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too. After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools! You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face. I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that!
But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?
If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying. When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me. I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn in the Flesh
This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.
That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
