Power Source

God said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:9

Three times the apostle Paul asked God to remove what Paul referred to as a "thorn in the flesh." Some historians speculate that this physical problem was some kind of eye disease. Whatever ailment was troubling Paul, the writer of this letter believed it was interfering with what God wanted him to do. God saw things differently. God will not always answer your prayers in ways you expect. Instead of curing Paul, God answered Paul's prayers by telling him that all Paul needed was God's grace, that God's grace was enough. God may be answering some of your prayers in the very same way.

God did not give Paul a reason for the pain he was going through. However, he did give Paul a promise. God promised that the apostle's personal pain would not diminish Paul's impact on the world; rather, his pain would expand it. Having to depend more on God, and less on his own physical strength and abilities, allowed Paul's life to reveal God's power in a greater way.

Your own personal weakness may be physical, like Paul's. It may come from a lack of confidence in your abilities, a financial setback, or the breakup of a relationship. Whatever struggle you may be facing, God's promise is as true for you as it was for Paul. Your powerlessness to change a situation provides a unique opportunity for God to reveal himself in a more powerful way to you and to those around you.

When you feel that God isn't answering a heartfelt prayer, take a fresh look at the situation. Ask yourself how God's power is evident through your problem. Thank him for what you learn as you persevere.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God and give Him your hurt, disappointment, frustration, and all things that come from this earth that are not made by Him. Take comfort that our God is always available to listen to us and He does listen to every word we speak. Then take time to mediate over the words you have spoken and take peace in the knowledge that you have given it to God to battle. He is our leader in this spiritual war. He is the one and only Lord the Savior who has power to make all good happen for his glory and honor. "Answers" may not come to you as you expect but that is good; this means He is working on it. Many times we expect thunder and lighting as a form of being heard by God. But it is in the silence that he is doing the work. During this time He is growing our faith and strengthening our lighthouse so we do not get lost in darkness. ~ MME Team

Consolation Prize

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The apostle Paul began his second letter to the church in Corinth just as he did his other letters, with a brief introduction that leads straight into thanksgiving. Paul's cause for thanks, however, sets this letter apart. You can be thankful for comfort only if you've know the pain of suffering. Paul certainly did, and so did his Corinthian audience. So does every individual who reads these words today.

Through levels of personal suffering differ, pain and heartache are universal. Yet amid that sobering truth, Paul gave reason for praise. God's comfort is at hand in every type of trouble. The original meaning of the old-fashioned-sounding word tribulation covers a lot of ground. It can mean "distress," "affliction," "persecution," or simply "great mercy." God's comfort fits any and every situation perfectly.

Through Paul, God provided even more good news: there is a positive, productive side to suffering. As God comforts you, you learn how to better comfort others. This is different from simply being sympathetic toward people and their problems. The Greek word for comfort implies action. It means "to come alongside and help." God actively comes alongside you with strength, encouragement, hope, and healing, and you gain the ability to do the same for others. When you are struggling with difficulty in your life, remember to reach out to God and then to others. God provides comfort to help you become a comforter like him.

When you're facing tough times, follow Paul's example. Praise God for the comfort he's already promised, and then ask him to help you use your own experiences to bring comfort to someone else.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God and praise him in your suffering. It is in the suffering that we strengthen our faith and find peace and hope in the mercy and grace of our Lord. ~ MME Team