Notice Paul’s account of his trial: “There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me” (2 Corinthians 12:7-8, NIV).
Comments in Paul’s writings hint this trial may have been a problem with his eyes. He wrote that some of the church members in Galatia would have given him their own eyes if that would have helped him: “Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me… I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me” (Galatians 4:14-15, NIV). At the end of his letter to the Galatians he adds, “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!” (Galatians 6:11, NIV).
Paul could have concluded God had not heard his pleas. He wanted to be healed so he could continue to spread the gospel effectively and care for the congregations God had raised up through him. But God gave Paul a different answer: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Whether God directly spoke these words to Paul or Paul gradually came to this understanding of God’s will isn’t clear from the Greek wording.
Paul came to a deeper spiritual understanding that strengthened his faith and commitment. He came to see that the credit for his ministry belonged to God the Father and Jesus Christ rather than to himself: “I am therefore happy to boast of my weaknesses, because then the power of Christ will rest upon me. So I am content with a life of weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and distress, all for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (11 Corinthians 12:9-10, Revised English Bible).
Paul’s experience is an important spiritual lesson for us. Sometimes God’s answer is “no” or “not yet.” He is far more concerned that we develop righteous character and a trusting relationship with Him that lasts for eternity.
God in His love will never allow us to fall into trials greater than we can endure: “God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV). We should be “confident…that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). God does not always answer our prayers to our immediate satisfaction and instantly deliver us from our trials, but He will always do what is best for us.
