This saying by Jesus is very prominent in the Gospels. Does it have one definitive meaning or multiple layers of interpretation? My questions tend to be open-ended by nature so don’t feel too constrained. Thoughts on this verse? Meanings? Unique ways that you see this teaching. Concrete examples from your lives and the lives of others? Don’t be shy. All thoughts are welcome.
2 Corinthians 12: Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. *** Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ****** But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”*** Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Oh, how I feel like Paul when he said that. Paul had a cross, and in his humanity, desired with the Lord to take it away from him, which also reminded me of Christ in the Garden of Getsethmane.
There are so many crosses in our lives. One is accepting the cross of forgiveness. It’s hard sometimes to choose to forgive, and give that forgiveness to someone as a gift. How they choose to accept it is their choice, but for us, sometimes, it can truly be a heavy thing. But the more we choose to forgive, in time, God’s grace is like a healing balm.
For years, I had resentment in my heart for a particular individual who had hurt me very badly many years ago. Initially his behavior kept me up at night, and in my head, I had made up all kinds of ways of vengence. (One of them, was sneaking to his house in the middle of the night and slashing all of his tires) It’s funny, because he is a kind of a wary guy, who has every one of his properties completely armed and camera-ed up, so if I had done it then, I’d really look the fool, lol.
A few years ago, in the practice of trying to grow in holiness, I knew I had to forgive him, and I made the choice to do that. It was easier than I thought, because he wasn’t in my life, and I didn’t have to face him at all. And in some gatherings, he left before I showed up, so I didn’t even have to confront him.
Well, yesterday my mother died. And there was no choice. I had to confront him. But it didn’t feel like a confrontation. He stood in front of me, and turned his head in a gesture of compassion and opened his arms to me for a hug, (which was the reverse of the behavior in the past which was hurtful).
It was very healing. Today we all had to spend time together going over the arrangements, and although I am still a little wary, the resentment is gone. I realize that he loved my mom as well, and is grieving in his own way, and trying to be helpful to the children of my mom in the best way he can.
I am trying to Trust Our Lord in this as best as I can. And I believe that this cross, this thorn, has been removed.
My other cross is a debilitating skin disease which makes it hard to be in public at times. Sometimes people look at me as if I am contagious and their faces curl with fear or derision. It’s not always really bad, but it’s almost always really painful. I KNOW THAT this is my cross. I am doing the best to allow healing to happen, but at the same time, I’m uniting this situation for our Lord’s good purpose, and hoping that I suffer well. I’ve had it for over a year now.
God Bless Your Cross
