“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.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
When Jesus said “ask and you shall receive,” we get excited. However, we need to confront this with the reality that Paul states in 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul has been asking for a change or a healing, we don’t know exactly what that means but the response is that God’s grace is sufficient for Paul. Paul doesn’t get the relief that he is wanting but he does get the promise of God’s love and strength.
Why do we get disappointed when we don’t get what we want, and we get so much more. Paul reminds us that at the heart of who we are we need a relationship with God who strengthens us in our weaknesses. Job when he was faced with the loss of his family, his property, and even social standing, he was asking why God would allow this but when he had the opportunity to ask Job didn’t. Having God speak to him seemed to appease the questions and while the tragedy was great, Job was comforted being with God.
The problems that we face are real, we can’t simply push them away but we can bring them to God. Jesus promised that His yoke is light. Jesus didn’t just say comforting words He took the problems upon Himself on the cross. The gift that God gives us is not to eliminate our problems or to solve our disappointments but to help us to draw near to Himself so that we might be overcome them and the situations that led us into them. He draws us closer to the truth of His life giving love that enters into our times of problems, into our disappointments, into hurts and loneliness, our misery and helps us to hope again.