Christian Living

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© Bob Barra, 8-27-07

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”— 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Paul struggled, just as all Christians. What is noteworthy was how he dealt with struggle: He accepted it. He saw struggle as a positive thing; something for his benefit.

I often find myself asking the Lord to take away my struggle. Recently the Lord showed me the benefits of my struggle, and maybe why He will not take it away.

When I was an unbeliever, I had no struggle at all. My struggles now have to do with the nature of sin in my life. Before, when I was tempted to sin, I just gave into it. That’s it, no struggle at all. Even as a baby Christian, I would give into my temptations, because I had a lot to learn about the Lord. But when I was not a Christian, there was no struggle because I just went along with my flesh.

I see my life before Christ like a limp rubber band, just hanging like that. After Christ it is stretched taught; on one end is my sinful nature and the other end me resisting. Holding that end is my Lord. One day I’ll be in heaven because there will be no sin and no struggle.

Maybe some reading this are struggling. Maybe they can see here that their struggle is possibly a sign they are saved; that they love God because they do not want to sin against Him.

I have recently noticed that I have struggles that provoke me to a higher standard of obedience. I think that also happened with Paul; why would he pray to the Lord, if not for victory.

My struggles show me how dependent I am on the Lord. If not for those struggles I would forget just how dependent I am on Him. My struggles keep things real.

Many of my struggles became poems that maybe some of you have read. I believe those writes glorify the Lord, because they confess my need for Him.

The Lord said to Paul that His grace was sufficient for him. While I believe that grace helped Paul through his struggles maybe the struggle itself was a form of grace, because it kept Paul near the Lord. It seems to have even made him worship his Lord.

Maybe we should do the same.

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