Tues Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

Even when we don't feel alone in tough times, we may still find it hard not to respond with raw, visceral reactions. After all, we're only human. But how did Paul respond to his suffering?

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me?"

Have you ever asked God to heal you of a sickness or relieve you of a sorrow or alleviate your suffering, but He didn't do it? Well, join the club. Three times Paul didn't just pray but pleaded with God. He begged the Healer to remove this thorn, but God chose not to. There was nothing wrong with the prayer and threw as nothing wrong with God. God heard Paul's plea and He cared deeply. When He finally responded, He didn't offer the answer Paul desired. But it was the answer he needed.

Paul wanted God to deal with his problem by subtraction, but instead God dealt with his problem by addition. The beauty in Paul's prayer comes from God extending love to His child. Right in the middle of Paul's prayer, right in the middle of his pleading, right in the middle of his hurting, right in the middle of his suffering, God spoke to Paul. "My grace is sufficient for you," God said.

The apostle didn't get the answer he was looking for until he quit praying and started listening. Sometimes we're so busy telling God what He ought to do for us that we can't hear God telling us what He wants to do in us. If you have a problem in life, and you've asked God to take it away and He hasn't, maybe it's time for you to quit talking and start listening.