Ep 312 – 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

In this episode, you are going to hear me refer to some events from an earlier period of my life, when this particular blog was originally written. They offer a historical record of a time when the circumstances of life seemed to be giving me a run for my money. But it just so happened that my time in the Word at the time when all these things were going on had me in the book of 2 Corinthians, and in this particular passage. It was timely, to say the least. Here, in 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, I was given an opportunity to compare my sufferings with those of Paul. And it was not a fair fight. He won hands-down. But the amazing thing is that Paul was prone to brag about his sufferings, not whine about them. Instead of complaining about all that had happened to him in his ministry for Christ, he found reason to rejoice in the weaknesses his circumstances had revealed. Weakness is not something we tend to appreciate or even want to admit. Weakness is to be avoided at all costs, just like suffering. But for Paul, it was his sufferings that revealed his weakness, and it was his weakness that reminded him of his need for God. It was his lack of power that reminded him to rely on the power provided to him through the indwelling Spirit of God. And that was something worthy bragging about.