Gift of A Handicap

Reading:  2 Corinthians 12; Psalm 38

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty!  (2 Corinthians 12:7 MSG)

Paul’s handicap was for him a frustrating limitation to his personal abilities. It pushed him to his knees, begging God to remove the handicap and free him from his limitations. I’m really glad we don’t know exactly what Paul’s handicap was, or we’d lose the point of his struggle by trying to compare our issues to his. He didn’t see it as a gift, but as a curse. Eventually God made it clear that it was a gift to keep him dependent and grace-filled. God said, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”

Paul goes on to say, “Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. 10 Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 MSG)

Paul was given the gift of a handicap to keep him in touch with his limitations. Paul decided to take his focus off the handicap and appreciate it as a gift of grace – the gift that would keep him daily and always dependent on Christ’s power for everything.

Self-interest makes it really hard to look on a handicap or a limitation as a gift. I see an other-centeredness and maturity in Paul that inspires me and gives me hope. I want to be at such a place in my life and my relationship with God that I stop whining and complaining about my limitations – the ones inside me and the ones outside me. So I keep on reading Paul’s writings and ask God to keep working on me!

Prayer:

Father, Help me grow up to be a mature believer – not a whiner, not an excuse-maker, but one who takes the focus off the frustration of my limitations and appreciates the gift of your Amazing Grace. I pray for the grace and wisdom to appreciate the gifts you give and the limitations you allow to remain. Thank you for choosing me and using me. Thank you. Amen.