by Victoria Heinecke

God’s grace shines bright in our weakness.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

This barbell weighs 205 pounds.

It is set up so that the lifter can set their shoulders under the bar and lift it with their hips and legs. It also happens to be someone else’s rack; if I tried to lift 205 pounds, I could not bear the load.

I want to be strong enough to lift it. I ask God to help me grow stronger, to work harder, and to be more disciplined. I could come closer to lifting this weight if I changed my diet, took supplements, and spent more time at the gym. It’s tempting, at times, to disregard my training and take matters into my own hands.

Paul describes a “thorn in his flesh,” which may have been a physical or personal shortcoming. He may have tried to conceal it or work around it. Whatever it was, he felt it kept him from sharing the Gospel as well as he desired.

The thorn may have felt like this barbell. He felt too weak to bear it, and asked God to remove it; however, he also understood why he bore the thorn, “so I wouldn’t become conceited.”

“But (God) 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 English Standard Version (ESV)

Paul’s thorn was used by God, to reconcile others to God.

Today, it’s tempting to listen to the lies of the world. We must be bigger, stronger, more powerful, more beautiful. Images are routinely photoshopped to create the unattainable illusion of perfection. It’s so tempting to follow those lies, and we become miserable and hopeless when we fall short of the ideals we see.

Don’t let your thorns keep you from sharing the Gospel. It is in our imperfections – our weaknesses – where God is glorified. The true ideal is a heart at peace when we are reconciled to God, and it is that peace which restores our souls. We find comfort in God when we are at peace.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado