When I am weak, then I am strong

[Spiderman]

I'd really appreciate it if you would tell me what you think of this Scripture. Could you please offer your interpretation. Thanks!

2 corinthians 12

That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. ... 7even 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.

8Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9Each 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. 10That’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.

 

[Spiderman]

I printed out that verse so that I may frequently meditate on it with the hopes that I can develop that same attitude about my weaknesses.

He seems quite delighted about his weaknesses. he "Takes pleasure" in them and persecution, suffering, and troubles. That would be a nice quality to have because life is full of such things.

 

[buddhist]

I'm more interested in the "I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me" - it seems like he was saying he had a demon dwelling within him.

 

[Spiderman]

I'm more interested in the "I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me" - it seems like he was saying he had a demon dwelling within him.

Yup, he had a Demon

 

[Reggie Miller]

I'm more interested in the "I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me" - it seems like he was saying he had a demon dwelling within him.

I'd really appreciate it if you would tell me what you think of this Scripture. Could you please offer your interpretation. Thanks!

2 corinthians 12

That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. ... 7even 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.

8Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9Each 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. 10That’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.

Basically Christ works through our weaknesses to show us us His strength. So Paul is rejoicing in Christ's working through him by giving him strength where he is weak. In this way, we know Christ is in us because we can't do anything holy without Christ, nor can we bring forth any fruit without Him.

Most all of us have to be shown that we are weak so that we may never forget that we need Christ all the time.

 

[Kenny]

I'd really appreciate it if you would tell me what you think of this Scripture. Could you please offer your interpretation. Thanks!

2 corinthians 12

That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. ... 7even 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.

8Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9Each 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. 10That’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.

If you read previous scriptures, you will find all the perils that he suffered for Jesus Christ.

When we think we can handle all the pressures by our own strength, we will find that we cannot do all that God wants us to do.

When we realize that we, in our own strength, cannot accomplish it, then we rest in he power of God that can work in and through us.

Thus, I can boast that I am weak and cannot do it myself so that then the power of God can be demonstrated and people can know that there is a God because it was obvious that it wasn't our power that did it.

II Cor 4:7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

 

[Kemosloby]

The messenger of Satan seems to be the one who continually tries to persecute Paul. Not to sound anti-semitic but they were named as "certain of the Jews" who had it in for Paul. So by his persecutions it made him more convincing that he kept on doing what he was doing, though he seemed like a fool for doing it, finding no pleasure in this world from it. The only rational purpose for it exactly as he was preaching, a reward in the next life. So those weaknesses made him a stronger more convincing preacher of the Kingdom of God, and the resurrection.