Real Hope: Paul the ApostleVoorbeeld

## Power is Made Perfect in Weakness In the verses leading up to this passage, we see Paul going through an incredibly difficult circumstance in his life. We don’t know exactly what he was facing, but we know he suffered greatly and ‘pleaded with the Lord’ to take it away from him. Those of us who have found ourselves on our knees pleading for ourselves, or for those we love dearly, will know it is no easy thing to entrust the cries of our heart to our Father in heaven. He hears the cry of Paul’s heart and encourages him with the words we see in the passage above. Through this encouragement Paul comes to realise that Jesus’ grace really is sufficient for his season of suffering, his shoulders strengthen and his whole perspective begins to shift. Suffering has a way of stripping away all the false ways we can build up our own safety, security and sense of identity in our own accomplishments, achievements and wisdom. We are left with nothing – but the thing about grace is that it expresses God’s acceptance and pleasure in us. It is His strength, there when we need it and available all the time – what more could we need? It’s a privilege to learn from the wisdom Paul and of all the saints of old who suffered their own trials and hardships and then shared what they learned with us. If you’re going through hard times right now, be encouraged. Jesus hears our cries, and His grace is enough to strengthen our shoulders for even the most unimaginable of circumstances. #### Written by LUCY WEIL