Pleasure in the Hard Things

Pleasure in the Hard Things

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.

II Corinthians 12:10

The Apostle Paul endured an abundance of hard things. The previous chapter of II Corinthians details for us some of the more outstanding adversities which came his way. Prison, threats of death, beatings, shipwreck, ‘perils,’ weariness, hard labor, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, fasting, cold, and nakedness all make the list of his hardships. Besides these things, he discusses, in the chapter before us, his ‘thorn in the flesh,’ calling it, ‘a messenger of Satan.’ We would expect that any human would break under such a load of adversity. Yet our text states, “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.’ How can this be? Was it that Paul just had an extraordinarily strong will? Did he just make up his mind to ‘take pleasure in all these hard things?’  No, absolutely not. The story of the Scriptures is not about the triumph of the human will. The story of the Scripture is that Christ triumphs, and gives the victory to His people. The diamonds of Grace shine most brightly against the black velvet of adversity. Paul understood this. He could ‘take pleasure in infirmities, in needs, in persecution, in distresses, in order that, as he says in the previous verse, ‘the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ The testimony of genuine Christianity is that Christ upholds weak people in the face of incredible adversities. More than that, He enables them to take pleasure in all those hard things. It is all of Christ, all of Grace, and all to His Glory.

Our Loving Savior,
We take pleasure in You.
You uphold us in places we could never stand.
You give us joy in circumstances we could not otherwise even tolerate.

Where the Bush is Burning
Tomm Tice