Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that he would take it away from me. And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness.”  2 Corinthians 12:8,9a (NIV)

I’ll admit it: I've pleaded with the Lord many more than three times about my child’s disability. And I've had sound arguments why the Lord should have granted my request to remove this burden from my child – and from my spouse and me. Perhaps some of these arguments were similar to those that the apostle Paul might have used when he pleaded with the Lord to remove his “thorn in the flesh.” 

Lord, this is too heavy a burden to carry.

Lord, my child can better serve you without this disability.

Lord, this is a perfect opportunity for you to show your almighty power.

And it was a perfect opportunity, at least in my mind. But who really gets to decide what “perfect” is? When a baby is born, that’s a word that frequently gets thrown around. The baby is perfect. Flawless. He/she hasn’t done anything wrong. The baby is completely innocent. But God doesn’t describe babies as “perfect.” His Word calls them “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2), “guilty” and “sinful” from conception (Psalm 51). I was born in sin, and so was my child. Even if my child had been “perfect” in body, her soul would still have been stained with sin.

I’ll admit it: I looked at my child as a project for God to take on, to fix. But I was most concerned with the physical condition of my child. God, on the other hand, takes into account our entire being. He rightfully prioritizes our souls over our bodies. So he did take on me, you, our children, and the entire world of humans as his project. He sent his Son Jesus to carry the guilt of human sin to the cross. He sent the Holy Spirit through the waters of baptism to apply his forgiving love to us. And rather than removing all weaknesses and imperfections from our bodies, he teaches us that his power is made perfect in weakness. That which we see as an imperfection is used by God to show the power of his love. Even I, in all my weakness, am useful and valuable to God. Even my child, in all her weakness, is useful and valuable to God.

God conveyed his gracious answer to the apostle Paul for my benefit. And yours. He will make it all perfect in the end.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I am often tempted to set my will and wisdom above yours. Forgive me. Teach me by your Spirit to continually trust in your power and love. Give me the confidence that your power will truly be made perfect through human weakness. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

by Stephen and Margo Schmidt