Problem? No problem.

I am down with a cold and a slight fever these few days. Would like to praise God for all the caring friends who sent me get well wishes (you know who you are) and a message below (Adapted from "How to be your best when you feel the worst" by Casey Treat) :

The apostle Paul had more than his share of challenges. In 2 Corinthians 12:10, he wrote, “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.” Think for a moment about the kinds of challenges he mentioned in this passage. None of them sounds fun.

“Infirmities” literally means sicknesses, diseases, feebleness, or weakness. We rebuke illness. We pray against it. We believe God to be healed from it. But when we get sick anyway and are forced to deal with our physical infirmity, we may find our greatest strength. We may find our grandest faith. We may find our deepest character. We may find a phenomenal relationship with God that we never knew we could have.



“Reproaches” means insults and injuries. It's no fun when people don't like us – and yet that kind of rejection may cause us to examine what we truly believe in and what we stand for. Does it really matter what someone thinks about us? Are we trying to please people, or please God? Are we here to make people like us, or are we here to obey our Father in heaven? You may find more strength if you quit being a people-pleaser and instead see reproaches for what they are: opportunities to grow stronger.

What did Paul mean by “needs” (or necessities) and “distresses”? Remember, this is the apostle Paul, who had been to the third heaven, to Paradise. This believer had been in the very throne room of God and there saw things he couldn't even tell us about – and yet here he is, back on earth, with needs and distresses.

Just because Paul had needs, however, didn't mean he was outside of God's will. His needs simply gave him an opportunity to get stronger. In the same way, your own needs can help you to find greater strength and a richer relationship with God. Allow your needs to drive you to God, not away from Him. Remember that Jesus told us, “your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8, NIV). He knows your need. He does not despise you for it. And yet it's still true that “you do not have, because you do not ask God” (James 4:2, NIV). Let your needs help you to find greater strength in God and a deeper relationship with your Father.

Paul also mentioned “persecutions.” Remember that Jesus said we'd receive a hundredfold when we give to the kingdom – but that it would come with persecution (Mark 10:30). We like the hundredfold increase, but not so much the persecution! We want to be filled with the Spirit, but we don't like it when people talk about us because we pray with the Spirit. We want to be a part of something that changes the spiritual landscape of our land, but then we get nervous when people persecute us because of what we believe.



But in the persecution, Paul tells you, you'll find a greater relationship with God. If they hated his Lord, they're going to take a few shots at you – but before you die, you can take a few to heaven with you. You have a decision to make: are you a Christian because it's nice, or because you love God?

The last word Paul mentions here is “distresses”. Paul said that he found his greatest strength in distress and in the pressures of life. Who of us learns much through our victories? We just celebrate, have fun, and think we're cool. But in our hard times? In our losses and in our difficulties? That's where we learn more, we change more, and we become better people. When everything is going well, we don't think much about praying and seeking God and changing. But when things go bad, sometimes we get really spiritual. Let's walk with God all the time – in the good times and the bad.

When you're weak, you'll find your greatest strength. When you're down, you'll find your highest high. When you face your worst battle (and they're never fun), that's when you'll find your greatest victory.