Back in the 1950s there was a television show called “Father Knows Best.” The father in the television show was not perfect, but while human father’s don’t always know best, our heavenly Father does. Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 that God responded to one of Paul’s prayers–which he repeated three times–with a firm “no.” Paul had a problem that he wanted fixed, but God refused.

Most likely Paul had some sort of illness. He describes it as a “thorn in the flesh.” Given his practice of sometimes referring to human sinfulness as “the flesh,” a few have speculated that perhaps he faced a serious temptation that he wanted to be freed from. God’s response to him was that “my grace is sufficient for you.” The answer Paul had wanted was relief from his illness. What he got instead was God affirming that, “I’ll stand with you while you endure it.” If it was a problem with a sin, God’s reassurance was that it was covered by God’s sacrifice on the cross; likewise, a physical illness was covered by that too.

Perhaps the ambiguity of Paul’s problem is purposeful: whether our illness is spiritual or physical, we have the confidence that God will be with us and help us to endure it.

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