"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

I often find that when I pray, I just want God to do what I want, not what is best or most convenient for those around me or for the good of the Kingdom. I don't like hearing that God told Paul that he had asked about getting out of his trouble enough. Instead, Paul had to learn that God's strength and mercy were enough to keep him going, even when he was going through hard times. Even though I know I need to learn this lesson, it's scary. I want God to keep everything in order for me. Then I remember that I am a Christian. If I want to be like my Savior, I have to let go of my expectations for God's answers and let God work through me to save other people, no matter what it costs me. Only then will I know for sure that His grace is enough for me.

When Paul was alive, other preachers were showing off their credentials. Paul, on the other hand, didn't want to compete with them to show that he was the most impressive of Jesus' disciples. Even though he had the religious training and Jewish background to silence his opponents, he preferred to talk about his weaknesses and how God had helped him overcome them. Let's be careful about judging someone's worth in ministry based on their resume today. Instead, let's look for people whose lives have been changed by God's grace.