What would you say is most productive concerning the strengthening of our faith? Isn’t it in our trials and difficulties, which is when we are most vulnerable and sensitive; which is when we are to trust God the most for using everything to “work together for good” (Ro 8:28)? This is the best time to understand the permanency of our faith and salvation, as we always have these to stand on, and nothing else will do!
NC
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Co 12:8, 9).
It is a natural thought, the first thought perhaps even for a godly soul, to desire an answer of the Lord in the removal of that which is trying and painful. We know His great compassion—that He cares for His own—that He feels for them and with them; and we are prone to gather from this that He must appear speedily for us when any blow, humiliation or sorrow comes upon us, especially that which would seem to make His glory be questioned and thwarted in various ways.
This is plainly so in Paul’s case before us. The enemy was taking full advantage of this “thorn” in the Apostles “flesh” to lower him and his work. We are disposed to expect an immediate answer from the Lord in the way of the removal of the trial. It was so with the Apostle himself. He cried to the Lord about it: he besought Him thrice that it might depart from him. It was not in order that He hear—the Lord heard him. But the Apostles had this great truth to learn: the Lord’s way of answering is much better than our way of beseeching.
Even were it the Apostle Paul—a man with such amazing knowledge of what was most suitable to God and most to be desired by His children—an Apostle had to learn that the Lord’s ways are above his ways. I believe that this desire of an answer from the Lord Jesus coming at once in the way of meeting us in our difficulty and sorrow, is rather one that was taught, and that God acted upon in His ways of old, in dealing with His ancient people Israel. When they were in any difficulty or trial, they cried to the Lord, and He always heard and delivered them out of troubles. But it is not necessarily so now. It is not always in removing the distress that our Father acts. This is not the characteristic way now with Christians (God uses trials to strengthen Christians faith—as “all things are for your sakes” - 2Co 4:15—NC).
I do not say that He does not deliver in many a case; for He pities the weakness of His children, and does not lay the same burden upon all. But there is something more blessed than the mere setting aside of the trial, and that is, the power of divine grace which enters into it, and lifts us above it; the distress, it may be, continuing, the sorrow going on, the thorn unremoved, but ourselves raised above it all. I believe that this heavenly way of meeting sorrow and trouble (Jn 14:1, 27), is especially the one in which our Father triumphs in His dealings with the Church.
It is a higher thing, the lifting us above in our spirit, even while sorrow may still be adhering to us. Perhaps there is a sharp trial, difficulty or that which is heart-breaking, even in the Church of God itself. The Apostle must know this in a way that seemed to frustrate all his desires for the blessing of the Church. For the thorn given him was an immense trial (hence asking thrice for its removal—NC) to himself and to everyone that loved him—appearing to be a hindrance even to the work of the Lord through him.
So that, in some unexplained way, carnal persons who looked on the outward appearance were in danger of losing their respect for him. It was not that the thorn was sin, or some evil that he did—but was something that was entirely beyond the Apostle’s control, and that made him an object of contempt to others. We can readily conceive more than one thing that would have such an effect; but we are not told what is was, and we ought not to go beyond the Word of the Lord.
We do know that both the Galatians and Corinthians were affected by it, and even reasoned from it that he was not called to be an apostle (1Co 9:2, 3). Paul himself was exceedingly tried by it, and brings this out to the Corinthians themselves. He shows them that it has been an immense exercise to his own mind, and more so as he had special “revelations form the Lord” (2Co 12:1); and that, along with this greater honor which had been put upon him by God, but which was unseen by men, there was the thorn given to him in the flesh, producing what men could see and feel, and naturally tending to destroy his influence.
But the Apostle has a deeper lesson to learn than he has ever entered into before, God giving him such a sight of the risen and glorified Lord Jesus (Act 9:5), and such a present knowledge of His love, not removing the trial, nor by a present answer, it may be, but by lifting him in spirit completely above it; so that he should realize the full weight of it (without going beyond his endurance level - 1Co 10:13—NC), might even know what is was to die daily, because of the sorrowful circumstances of the Church, and now also by reason of what he felt in himself; for there was this that was so painful to bear (but not too painful—NC), and so apparently undesirable, because of its effect upon the minds of others.
Note: John Gill (1697-1771)—“I die daily” (1Co 15:31); which is to be understood, not in a spiritual sense of dying unto sin; he was already dead unto sin (Rom 6:2, 11) as to its damning power (Eze 18:4, 20), through the death of Christ, and as to its governing power (Ro 6:12, 14) through the Spirit and grace of Christ, but still it was living and dwelling in him (Ro 7:17, 20); but in a corporeal (physical) sense: he instances in himself in particular, who was one that was in jeopardy or danger of his life every hour (1Co 15:30); he always bore in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus (2Co 4:10), and was continually delivered to death for Jesus' sake (2Co 4:11); death was always working in him (Rom 7:13; 2Co 4:12), he expected it every day, and was ready for it; he did not count his life dear unto himself (Act 20:24), but was very willing to lay it down for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; which he would never have done, if he had not good reason to believe the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.”
Albert Barnes (1798-1870)—I endure so many sufferings and persecutions, that it may be said to be a daily dying. I am constantly in danger of my life; and my sufferings each day are equal to the pains of death. Probably Paul here referred particularly to the perils and trials which he then endured at Ephesus; and his object was to impress their minds with the firmness of his belief in the certainty of the resurrection, on account of which he suffered so much, and to show them that all their hopes rested also on this doctrine.
Romans 8:36 writes, “As it is written, for Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Thus he learns that there was something still better. “My grace is sufficient for thee; My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Oh! for faith to rest in this, to believe it ourselves, to apply it to present circumstances in the Church of God, to rest with unhesitating certainty in the assurance that, whatever appearances may be, however plain the impossibility for us to set things right where they are wrong, we may have our confidence unshaken in the Lord Jesus. Just as one can rest in His salvation and know that it is perfect, so should we be calm in the certainty that He is Son over His own house, and that His love to the saints now is as perfect as it was when He died on the Cross for them.
But as individuals may not enjoy His salvation, so, too, shall I be weak and cast down if feeble in my faith as to His care for His Church, and His entrance into the Churches sorrows; or if burdened about it, as though the whole blessing of the Church rested upon him (the burden of the Church is always on Christ—NC). It is plain that this resting in the Lord Jesus as the Head of His Church would not make the members less feeling and watchful. On the contrary; where we realize that the Lord Jesus is identified with everything, the sorrow will be intensely known, but there will not be disappointment. The Lord Jesus is coming Himself; but ere He comes, He never ceases to be the Head of His own Church, nor fails to nourish and cherish it.
—Hugh Henry Snell (1817-1892)
MJS daily devotional for August 21
“The spiritual babe has faith for the wondrous fact that he will go to heaven when he dies. The spiritual father has faith for the inexpressible fact that he has died in Christ, and that he is now hid with Him in God.”—MJS
“When I look at this place, He is not here; and when I look at myself naturally I am not fit for Him. How happy then to know that I belong to the place where He is; and that through grace I am made suited to Him in that new place; so that I set my mind and affections there, as the place where my deepest joys are to be realized.
“The truth is, we have a position in heaven and the Lord Jesus is now our life there; and if this be not simply enjoyed, there will be an effort to modify the desolation here, and an inability to interpret the various inroads which death makes on us.
“My taste is formed in glory, and there it is nurtured and strengthened, and as it is, so do I find nothing here in keeping with my taste. Association with the Son of Man, the One most perfect, and in every way the most beautiful, develops my new nature, which is the same as His. Where He is, is my home—there I feed and rest; but here, on earth, I am learning to set aside in death everything in me which hinders the manifestation of the life of the Lord Jesus.”—James Butler Stoney (1814-1897)
NC
Strength in Weakness!
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Co 12:8, 9).
It is a natural thought, the first thought perhaps even for a godly soul, to desire an answer of the Lord in the removal of that which is trying and painful. We know His great compassion—that He cares for His own—that He feels for them and with them; and we are prone to gather from this that He must appear speedily for us when any blow, humiliation or sorrow comes upon us, especially that which would seem to make His glory be questioned and thwarted in various ways.
This is plainly so in Paul’s case before us. The enemy was taking full advantage of this “thorn” in the Apostles “flesh” to lower him and his work. We are disposed to expect an immediate answer from the Lord in the way of the removal of the trial. It was so with the Apostle himself. He cried to the Lord about it: he besought Him thrice that it might depart from him. It was not in order that He hear—the Lord heard him. But the Apostles had this great truth to learn: the Lord’s way of answering is much better than our way of beseeching.
Even were it the Apostle Paul—a man with such amazing knowledge of what was most suitable to God and most to be desired by His children—an Apostle had to learn that the Lord’s ways are above his ways. I believe that this desire of an answer from the Lord Jesus coming at once in the way of meeting us in our difficulty and sorrow, is rather one that was taught, and that God acted upon in His ways of old, in dealing with His ancient people Israel. When they were in any difficulty or trial, they cried to the Lord, and He always heard and delivered them out of troubles. But it is not necessarily so now. It is not always in removing the distress that our Father acts. This is not the characteristic way now with Christians (God uses trials to strengthen Christians faith—as “all things are for your sakes” - 2Co 4:15—NC).
I do not say that He does not deliver in many a case; for He pities the weakness of His children, and does not lay the same burden upon all. But there is something more blessed than the mere setting aside of the trial, and that is, the power of divine grace which enters into it, and lifts us above it; the distress, it may be, continuing, the sorrow going on, the thorn unremoved, but ourselves raised above it all. I believe that this heavenly way of meeting sorrow and trouble (Jn 14:1, 27), is especially the one in which our Father triumphs in His dealings with the Church.
It is a higher thing, the lifting us above in our spirit, even while sorrow may still be adhering to us. Perhaps there is a sharp trial, difficulty or that which is heart-breaking, even in the Church of God itself. The Apostle must know this in a way that seemed to frustrate all his desires for the blessing of the Church. For the thorn given him was an immense trial (hence asking thrice for its removal—NC) to himself and to everyone that loved him—appearing to be a hindrance even to the work of the Lord through him.
So that, in some unexplained way, carnal persons who looked on the outward appearance were in danger of losing their respect for him. It was not that the thorn was sin, or some evil that he did—but was something that was entirely beyond the Apostle’s control, and that made him an object of contempt to others. We can readily conceive more than one thing that would have such an effect; but we are not told what is was, and we ought not to go beyond the Word of the Lord.
We do know that both the Galatians and Corinthians were affected by it, and even reasoned from it that he was not called to be an apostle (1Co 9:2, 3). Paul himself was exceedingly tried by it, and brings this out to the Corinthians themselves. He shows them that it has been an immense exercise to his own mind, and more so as he had special “revelations form the Lord” (2Co 12:1); and that, along with this greater honor which had been put upon him by God, but which was unseen by men, there was the thorn given to him in the flesh, producing what men could see and feel, and naturally tending to destroy his influence.
But the Apostle has a deeper lesson to learn than he has ever entered into before, God giving him such a sight of the risen and glorified Lord Jesus (Act 9:5), and such a present knowledge of His love, not removing the trial, nor by a present answer, it may be, but by lifting him in spirit completely above it; so that he should realize the full weight of it (without going beyond his endurance level - 1Co 10:13—NC), might even know what is was to die daily, because of the sorrowful circumstances of the Church, and now also by reason of what he felt in himself; for there was this that was so painful to bear (but not too painful—NC), and so apparently undesirable, because of its effect upon the minds of others.
Note: John Gill (1697-1771)—“I die daily” (1Co 15:31); which is to be understood, not in a spiritual sense of dying unto sin; he was already dead unto sin (Rom 6:2, 11) as to its damning power (Eze 18:4, 20), through the death of Christ, and as to its governing power (Ro 6:12, 14) through the Spirit and grace of Christ, but still it was living and dwelling in him (Ro 7:17, 20); but in a corporeal (physical) sense: he instances in himself in particular, who was one that was in jeopardy or danger of his life every hour (1Co 15:30); he always bore in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus (2Co 4:10), and was continually delivered to death for Jesus' sake (2Co 4:11); death was always working in him (Rom 7:13; 2Co 4:12), he expected it every day, and was ready for it; he did not count his life dear unto himself (Act 20:24), but was very willing to lay it down for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; which he would never have done, if he had not good reason to believe the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.”
Albert Barnes (1798-1870)—I endure so many sufferings and persecutions, that it may be said to be a daily dying. I am constantly in danger of my life; and my sufferings each day are equal to the pains of death. Probably Paul here referred particularly to the perils and trials which he then endured at Ephesus; and his object was to impress their minds with the firmness of his belief in the certainty of the resurrection, on account of which he suffered so much, and to show them that all their hopes rested also on this doctrine.
Romans 8:36 writes, “As it is written, for Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Thus he learns that there was something still better. “My grace is sufficient for thee; My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Oh! for faith to rest in this, to believe it ourselves, to apply it to present circumstances in the Church of God, to rest with unhesitating certainty in the assurance that, whatever appearances may be, however plain the impossibility for us to set things right where they are wrong, we may have our confidence unshaken in the Lord Jesus. Just as one can rest in His salvation and know that it is perfect, so should we be calm in the certainty that He is Son over His own house, and that His love to the saints now is as perfect as it was when He died on the Cross for them.
But as individuals may not enjoy His salvation, so, too, shall I be weak and cast down if feeble in my faith as to His care for His Church, and His entrance into the Churches sorrows; or if burdened about it, as though the whole blessing of the Church rested upon him (the burden of the Church is always on Christ—NC). It is plain that this resting in the Lord Jesus as the Head of His Church would not make the members less feeling and watchful. On the contrary; where we realize that the Lord Jesus is identified with everything, the sorrow will be intensely known, but there will not be disappointment. The Lord Jesus is coming Himself; but ere He comes, He never ceases to be the Head of His own Church, nor fails to nourish and cherish it.
—Hugh Henry Snell (1817-1892)
MJS daily devotional for August 21
“The spiritual babe has faith for the wondrous fact that he will go to heaven when he dies. The spiritual father has faith for the inexpressible fact that he has died in Christ, and that he is now hid with Him in God.”—MJS
“When I look at this place, He is not here; and when I look at myself naturally I am not fit for Him. How happy then to know that I belong to the place where He is; and that through grace I am made suited to Him in that new place; so that I set my mind and affections there, as the place where my deepest joys are to be realized.
“The truth is, we have a position in heaven and the Lord Jesus is now our life there; and if this be not simply enjoyed, there will be an effort to modify the desolation here, and an inability to interpret the various inroads which death makes on us.
“My taste is formed in glory, and there it is nurtured and strengthened, and as it is, so do I find nothing here in keeping with my taste. Association with the Son of Man, the One most perfect, and in every way the most beautiful, develops my new nature, which is the same as His. Where He is, is my home—there I feed and rest; but here, on earth, I am learning to set aside in death everything in me which hinders the manifestation of the life of the Lord Jesus.”—James Butler Stoney (1814-1897)