Try saying, “For your sake, Lord” as you step into the day.

As one who lives at this moment with a certain degree of weakness of body and the spill over now and then into weakness of mind and emotion, I have decided, for myself at least, to rescue the “thorn in the flesh” theme from the debate as to whether or not God means to heal everyone, and/or argument as to what Paul’s thorn was. I have my own thoughts about that particular question and of course they are the right thoughts (Ha Ha).
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Paul said that for Christ’s sake he delighted in his weaknesses/infirmities, for he had made this discovery: “when I am weak, I am strong.” In areas where you are carrying weakness/infirmity today, seek grace to carry it for Christ’s sake and life can flow in a way that will surprise you. I have learned precious truths by experience to do with the love and faithfulness of God even just recently as I step out in weakness to live or speak or serve or do something for the sake of Christ. 3 days of rest were needful after 3 talks at Kingdom Gathering on Skye, for example, but I rejoice in the memory or every moment of my time there. I would not have missed it for the world!

I want to say something that will make the blood of some of my friends, some of those who pray for me continually and some of my fellow charismatics boil: The experiences I have known of the help and tenderness of God in these last few years have been so real and precious, I fear losing them if/when physical healing happens. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak….

Would I be able to say all of this if the level of infirmity I carry was greater, indeed if it was the magnitude some of you have to live in right now, this very day, and have had ot live in for many years? Well, I can’t say, nor do I mean what I am saying from a place of low level infirmity become a yoke for anyone else. I do hope though in some sense this day you can make Paul’s discovery a chosen principle for your life.

I don’t particularly want you to comment on there being reasons you can see in what I am saying this morning for why I have not been healed, though I can’t stop you doing that if you choose. Sometimes though we stamp all over what people say with big clumsy boots in the belief we are being biblical when in fact we should be recognising when we stand on the ground of people’s weaknesses we are standing on holy ground and should take off our shoes, and listen more than talk….

God Bless

Kenny