2 Corinthians 12.9.
Recently I wrote about Paul’s thorn in the flesh, and
Problem is, people are really insistent this passage is about an illness. And about how sometimes God won’t cure us, so we gotta accept that. Y’ain’t getting nothing but
We’ve even made “My grace is sufficient for thee”
Most of the time it’s used to state God’s grace is sufficient for salvation. It’s a reminder we humans can’t save ourselves from sin and death, no matter how many good deeds we do; and that’s fine ’cause God does all the saving. He applies
- Great is your faithfulness oh God
- You wrestle with the sinner’s heart
- You lead us by still waters into mercy
- And nothing can keep us apart
- So remember your people
- Remember your children
- Remember your promise, oh God
- Your grace is enough
- Your grace is enough
- Your grace is enough
- Your grace is enough for me
- —Matt Maher, “Your Grace Is Enough,” 2008
Is this what Jesus means by “grace is sufficient”? Not even close. While the idea we’re entirely saved by God’s grace is entirely true, the basis for this idea isn’t at all the verse where we find the words “grace is sufficient.” It comes from other verses, like “By grace are ye saved,”
The rest of the time, “grace is sufficient” is used to say God will provide all our needs. ’Cause he’s gracious, generous, watches over us, answers prayers, cures our illnesses, guides our steps: We figure when we have God, we don’t need anything else. A self-sufficient person doesn’t need help, and neither does a God-sufficient person, ’cause God has us covered. Different worship song:
- Jehovah Jireh, my provider
- His grace is sufficient for me, for me, for me
- Jehovah Jireh, my provider
- His grace is sufficient for me
- My God shall supply all my needs
- According to his riches in glory
- He will give his angels charge over me
- Jehovah Jireh cares for me, for me, for me
- Jehovah Jireh cares for me
- —Don Moen, “Jehovah Jireh,” 1986
Horrible pronunciation of Y
But you know how songs are. Once a catchy one gets in your head, it’s hard to shake the song away… much less the inaccurate bible interpretations which come along with it. Just because
But I digress. Time to get to the context.
The thorn in the flesh.
Paul and Timothy wrote 2 Corinthians together—likely in the capacity of someone dictating, and someone taking dictation (and adding suggestions where helpful). And for a few chapters, Paul spent a bit of time “boasting,” as many translations put it. As he should; testimonies are important.
So the folks of Corinth might emphasize all their personal gain, financial success, and other worldly prosperity they had as a result of becoming Christ. Paul chose instead to emphasize all the suffering and degradation he went through. Because prosperity may be nice, but God-experiences are lasting.
Anyway, one of the things Paul emphasized was his “thorn in the flesh,” as the
2 Corinthians 12.6-10 KWL 6 For whenever I want to be proud,- I won’t be a fool,
- for I’ll speak truth.
- I desist lest anyone considers me greater than I am,
- who sees or hears
{something} of me 7 and the amazing revelations.- This is why, lest I get conceited,
- a “thorn in the flesh” was given me—
- Satan’s angel, who might punch me
- lest I get conceited.
8 Thrice I begged the Master about it,- so it might leave me.
9 And the Master told me,- “My grace should satisfy you,
- for
{my} power is perfected by weakness.” - So I will gladly be more proud of my weaknesses,
- so Christ’s power might abide in me.
10 So I’m pleased with weakness for Christ—- in hubris, compulsions, persecutions, difficulties.
- For whenever I am weak,
- then I am strong.
“My grace is sufficient for thee”
Nor does this interpretation fit the context of the text. As Paul said, his “thorn in the flesh” was holing him back. Keeping him from exaggerating his accomplishments. Keeping him from concealing some of the embarrassing, or less-impressive, details of his ministry. Keeping him from acting the fool. Human nature is to show off. But Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” wouldn’t let him. It was keeping him from going astray.
How on earth does a disease do that? Well it doesn’t. But a person would. A critic would. A naysayer, who kept holding Paul’s feet to the fire—whom Paul didn’t appreciate, because this person didn’t have Paul’s best interests at heart, but pestered him like an accuser. Like Satan itself.
So Paul had enough of this guy, brought it to Jesus, and Jesus told him he’s not removing this guy. Jesus didn’t want his apostle to sin, nor dance on the edge of sin. He knows exactly what can corrupt and ruin us—so he’ll stop us from going there. In Paul’s case, Jesus stopped him by letting this “thorn” poke him whenever he crossed the line. Three times Paul cried out to Jesus, because three times Paul crossed the line. (Like he said in verse 6, he’s not sparing details!) Jesus’s response was, “I’m not taking it away. It’s keeping you on the straight and narrow. You have to remember exalting yourself doesn’t grow
Paul definitely learned that lesson. As a result he emphasized weakness—in contrast to the Corinthians boasting of their strength.
“Grace is sufficient”—as our excuse for when God says no.
Just about everybody has asked God for something we really shouldn’t, and naturally
Because we don’t foresee anything, sometimes we don’t know why God said no (or “not yet”), and sometimes we don’t bother to ask him why—we just presume. Way too many times I’ve heard Christians presume the reason God said no is for the very same reason Jesus told Paul no: “I shall fulfill not thy request because my grace is sufficient for thee.” (As if God hasn’t updated his English over the past five centuries.) God isn’t relieving their arthritis, because his grace should satisfy ’em. God isn’t saving their house from foreclosure, because his grace should satisfy ’em. God isn’t rescuing them from an unjust arrest and prosecution, because his grace should satisfy ’em. God isn’t curing their child of leukemia, because his grace should satisfy ’em.
Sounds like God is letting ’em perish, because his grace should satisfy ’em.
This is an unacceptable conclusion. Not just because it’s a misrepresentation of what Jesus told Paul. Not just because it makes God sound like a jerk who doesn’t care, when it’s just the opposite.
Whenever evangelist and faith-healer Smith Wigglesworth heard someone say the reason God hadn’t cured them is because “my grace is sufficient for thee,” Wigglesworth challenged them immediately: Oh, so God gave you a “thorn in the flesh” because you had such amazing revelations he had to let a messenger of Satan smack you around lest you get too prideful?—is that what’s happening? It’s not? Then don’t say such foolishness, and believe God can and wants to cure you.
Because he does. It’s not always gonna be a sickness unto death,
