Burdens

by Johnathan Perz

Struggles, infirmities, and adversities are a part of life. We all face them. Paul describes a struggle he brought before God on three occasions, seeking that God remove it from him. Instead of removing the burden, God let Paul bear it, admonishing him with the words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Some burdens are self-inflicted, and we bear them because of our own folly (though God’s mercy often prevails despite our follies). God allows and gives other burdens so that we may grow stronger through absolute reliance upon Him. Paul accepted his burden by learning to most gladly boast in it that the power of Christ would rest upon him. Let us learn to bear our burdens with joy, knowing God’s grace is perfecting us and that He is working in us and through us. He hasn’t abandoned us to our burdens. He is empowering us to carry them in ways we could never on our own!

“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” (II Corinthians 12:7-10).