Since I didn't go to church this morning, I decided I would listen to the John MacArthur sermon cd we recently received. I was pleased to discover the topic (post title) and the Scripture passage (II Corinthians 12:7-10) are just what we'll be studying this week in the ladies' Bible study. I love it when the Lord helps me out like this! I'll probably post on what Jerry Bridges has to say in Transforming Grace later in the week, but MacArthur's points are well worth sharing...as usual.
"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." II Cor. 12:7-10
MacArthur turned to II Corinthians 9:8 to emphasize the lavishness and excess of God's grace: "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed." This promise also applies to our times of inevitable suffering as Christians.
The Apostle Paul had been ministering in Corinth for two years when his ministry came under attack by false teachers who desired to ruin Paul's ministry. Paul agonized over the spiritual condition of his spiritual children and the rejections and betrayals of some of those relationships. From the verses above we can learn from the Apostle Paul four profound lessons on how to react to suffering at all levels.
1. God uses suffering to humble His children. (verse 7) Humility is the ultimate virtue, while pride is the ultimate sin. The Greek word for "messenger" means angel, so it was a Satanic angel (demon) that was tormenting Paul and the persecution in the church was Satanic. But it was given by God to keep Paul from exalting himself. God wants His children humbled to the degree that He will even use Satanic means to accomplish that in our lives.
2. God uses suffering to draw us to Himself. (verse 8) Paul did not try to rebuke Satan for the torment; rather he went to the Sovereign over Satan to seek deliverance. The positive effect of suffering is that we draw near to the Lord in prayer.
3. God uses suffering to display His grace. (verse 9) God increased His grace and produced assurance in Paul, and God promises lavish grace in the midst of our suffering.
4. God uses suffering to perfect His power. (verse 9) God's power is made perfect in our weakness. In our suffering, we must come to the end of ourselves (not relying on our own ingenuity) so that the Lord's power may be released in our lives. It is because of this promise that Paul was able to be content with the persecutions. He knew the Lord was doing a work of refinement in his life.
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