So, is that the sum of God’s purpose in these magnificent revelations Paul received in this painful thorn that he lives with — namely, shame Satan and humble Paul? No, that is not the sum of God’s purposes. And they are not his ultimate purposes in this text.
“God uses Satan to defeat the purposes of Satan.”
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Verse 8: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it [the thorn — the messenger of Satan] should leave me.” The answer of Christ is no. No. No. And the reason he gives is this (verse 9): “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” In other words, Jesus says, “Paul, this thorn — this messenger of Satan — is going to weaken you in such a way that, if you have any power, it will have to be the power of my grace.”
Which means that what’s going on here is not merely the granting of unspeakable revelations, and not merely the preventing of pride, and not merely the shaming of Satan, but the perfecting of the manifestation of the power and grace of Christ. Paul sees that. He understands now that his body and his soul are being made the theater for the drama of Satan’s shame and Christ’s glory. How will he respond? Verses 9–10:
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Boast Gladly in Weakness
