Pain is Gain, Weakness is Strength

UV 1098/10,000 Pain is Gain, Weakness is Strength
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.


2 Corinthians 12 v 10


St Paul presents in this uni-verse a paradoxical statement that when he is weak, he is strong. His weaknesses in spirit, mind and body, his faults, his shortcomings, his inability to meet his own need, the persecutions and difficult circumstances he faced made him humble, supple and dependent on God. Through all these earthly circumstances, his faith in Christ kept him in heavenly peace. He did not therefore despise himself or his circumstances for these deficiencies. Instead, he found his confidence and sustenance in these inadequacies. He cultivated an attitude of being thankful for these circumstance. He even spoke openly about these as something not to be ashamed of but to revel in.

God provides grace to fill the gaps in our lives. He enables us to either endure or overcome our weaknesses. He builds our character, patience, humility, wisdom and faith through these circumstances. Moses as a child and till he was a young man had grown up as a prince of Egypt, a person who knew no shortages, whose every desire was granted as soon as he expressed it. But this made him proud, self confident and consequently distant from the God who had a calling on his life. His anger and aggression caused him to flee from the palace and all Egypt to an unknown land and among unknown people. He had moved from his comfort zone to a discomfort zone, a zone of high learning and leaning. He became a humble person fit to be used as a messenger of Almighty God before mighty Pharaoh. He was used to humble the might of Egypt and of Pharaoh. The staff that Moses held in his hand had more power than all the spears, swords, chariots, horses, magicians and soldiers of Pharaoh Thutmoses III. Yet it was not the staff. It had power as it was held by Moses. Yet Moses had no power. It was the hand that held Moses that had all the power. The same hand holds you and me. IF we suffer infirmities, blame, persecution, distress, shortages and hardship while we are being held by that hand, we know that He who takes us through it is competent to take us through safely and that He is doing it for a greater purpose that we may not be able to perceive immediately.


IT is contrary to human nature to find pleasure in pain and suffering. But the Lord will give us not just the ability to endure suffering but to enjoy it. He will only allow that much pain which is needed to shape our faith but not enough to break it. He carefully calibrates the amount of suffering that each one of us needs to make that weakness a source of strength. We will not struggle and resist as we are being held in the strong hand of the Lord. It comes from knowledge and admission that we cannot do it on our owns strength and knowledge and trust in the strength of the Lord. When I survived with severe injuries in the assassination of Mr Rajiv Gandhi 23 years ago at Sriperumbudur, my pride and confidence as an IPS officer was broken. I realized that neither my position, power, training, influence, family, money or possessions, qualifications, knowledge, wisdom, talents had saved my life. I truly realized that " salvation comes from the Lord." When we realize this, all the aforesaid belongs to the Lord, no longer to us. In my weakest moments when I feel vulnerable, this knowledge is my strength.

Prateep V Philip