But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”—2 Corinthians 12:9a (NIV)

Hot tears of frustration rolled down my cheeks as I poured my heart out to the Lord. For weeks I prayed to achieve a personal goal. I adopted a plan, followed it perfectly, and made amazing progress. But suddenly my situation changed. I suffered a setback, and now my goal seemed out of reach. As I wrestled in prayer, the still small voice inside my head whispered these words: “My grace is sufficient for you.”

“Is it?” I sighed. Immediately I felt ashamed. I know God’s grace is always sufficient. But at that moment it just didn’t feel adequate.

Most of us will reach a point in our lives where God’s grace doesn’t seem capable of taking away our pain or disappointment. The Apostle Paul understood this struggle. Not only did he pen the words I heard that morning, but he also learned to love the power found in surrender. 

In his second letter to the Corinthians, he described being tormented by a messenger of Satan in the form of a thorn in his flesh. This trial had a purpose—to keep him from becoming conceited. Yet Paul pleaded three times for the Lord to take it away (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). But the Lord didn’t answer in the way Paul had hoped:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9a NIV)

Biblical scholars offer different possibilities for Paul’s thorn in his flesh: temptation, partial blindness, migraines, epilepsy, a speech impediment, or even a person who persecuted him. Maybe the details have been intentionally hidden from us because we all have that one thing—a temptation, recurring sin, physical impediment, or even a person—which frustrates us in our walk with the Lord. As we relate to Paul and his struggle we can hopefully learn from his example.

Paul noted he prayed three times to be delivered from this thorn. He may have literally meant three times. But the number three often represents the idea of completeness in the Bible. So it could also mean he prayed until he surrendered his desire and accepted the Lord’s answer. 

Paul doesn’t disclose how he came to hear the answer. Was the Lord’s voice audible to him? Did he see the Lord in a vision? Or, like me, did it come as the still small voice in his head? In any case, Paul knew the Lord would not remove the thorn. Accepting the Lord’s decision led him to experience God’s power. 

The more I study Paul’s letters, the more I see how he exemplified a Spirit-led life. Although these verses do not specifically mention the Holy Spirit, we know Paul believed prayer to be an essential activity of the Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). His life shows us how the Spirit can help us connect with God’s power through the prayer of surrender. 

To help me follow Paul’s example I practiced the spiritual discipline of solitude and silence (you can read about that practice here). But leaning on the Lord’s strength doesn’t come easily to someone as self-driven as myself. I had to pray more than three times before I could surrender my frustration. Through these prayers, I finally experienced His power. His grace is and will be sufficient—even if I never achieve my goal. 

It may sound counterintuitive. But the most powerful life is a Spirit-led life. And a Spirit-led life is a surrendered life. 

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit who helps us surrender to Your will. Sometimes our trials cause us to think Your grace is not sufficient. Help us in these times of trouble to respond with faith. As we place our trust in You, may we experience Your power. We pray all this in Your name. Amen.