"... but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. ⁶ Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:5b-10, New International Version

I was driving down the road yesterday thinking about the verse "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  (James 4:6).  And right now, at 8:52 am on Saturday, I can't remember what caused me to think about that.  However, it stuck with me all day.  I've been thinking about God's grace a lot lately.  I was listening to a pastor talk in a meeting on Monday about healing.  He talked about how God still provides super natural healing, he provides natural healing, through doctors or medicine, and at time he withholds healing, but gives us the grace we need to endure what it is we're going through.

That last part is hard to deal with at times.  However, it made me think about the apostle Paul, and the 'thorn in [his] flesh'.  He only asked God three times to remove it.  Geesh, I've asked God 100 time to heal my back ... maybe more.  Plus countless others have prayed on my behalf.  My wife and I have talked about this a few times this week.  Why won't God heal me?  It's not that he can't.  It's not because we haven't prayed.  Reading the verses above makes me wonder if I give it too much attention.  I mean Paul ... the pillar of all pillars ... only asked three times, then he dropped it.  He knew that when he was weak he depended more on Christ for strength.  His power and strength came from Christ, not from within. 

I'm pretty sure that 99% of all Christians pray less when things are going well.  When the blessings are flowing, when life is good, when the kids are acting right, when the bonuses come at work, when the sun shines more than it rains (unless you're a farmer), when the kid is finally potty trained ... when life is good, Christians pray less.  But when life is bad ... when you lose a job, or when you bury your child, when you put your dog down, when you're diagnosed with cancer, when you have another surgery, when your family disowns you ... when things aren't going so well, we become temporary prayer warriors.

I think one of the messages that Paul is sending in the passage above is one he consistently preached to all the churches ... pray all the time, and always be content with where you're at (my paraphrase of course).  He says that he "delighted" in weakness.  He wrote elsewhere that he had learned to be content with a little, and content with a lot (again, my paraphrase).  He may have somewhere, but I can't think of a time when Paul boasted about how great things were going for him.  The only time he'd brag is when stuff hit the fan, and things weren't going all that well, and he did so to remind people of how great his God is, not how terrible his circumstances were.

As I think back over the 116 blogs I've written, I know I've talked a lot about hardships, and difficult times, and rotten circumstances.  I don't know how uplifting they've been ... maybe not much.  My hope and prayer however, is that through the stories your focus and attention would be turned toward the God I love and do my best to serve, and how faithful and loving he is.  I don't want the attention, or pity, or for anyone to feel sorry for me.  Over the past two weeks I've written on some pretty deep stuff.  Some very personal and painful stuff.  A few of you have sent me some very caring and touching messages, and I thank you for that.  But please don't let my circumstances overshadow the God who has sustained me through those circumstances.  That's what this is all about.  God bless you, and have a wonderful day.