1. That we may understand the force and beauty of this portion of God's Word, let us for a little advert to the preceding context. In the eleventh chapter, the Apostle Paul had alluded to the trials through which he had passed, and the conquests which divine grace had enabled him to achieve. Many a peril had beset him, but out of them all the Lord delivered him. In the chapter that contains our text, he comes to speak of visions and revelations of the Lord. "I knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago, whether in the body I cannot tell; or whether out of the body I cannot tell: God knoweth; such an one caught up to the third Heaven: and I knew such a man, how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory, yet of myself will I not glory, but in mine infirmities." I will not glory in anything that I have done, or in any mark of his favour with which the Lord has honoured me. I will glory rather in my infirmities. Why? Because these very infirmities have served to magnify the supporting grace of God. These very infirmities have proved most signally how gracious He is to his people, - how abundantly gracious He has been to me his unworthy servant. "Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure."

2. It is not very clear what this thorn in the flesh was. It seems to have been some bodily deformity, - something probably that disfigured the Apostle's countenance, and gave him an unprepossessing and forbidding aspect. It was something evidently that was observable by his hearers, and had a tendency to affect his usefulness among them. It afforded ground to gainsayers for saying, "His bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." We cannot be surprised that the Apostle lamented the existence of this deformity. We cannot wonder that he saw in it a proof that Satan had been permitted to annoy him; nor can we wonder that he prayed that God would relieve him from it. "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me."

Such a prayer was undoubtedly lawful. It was lawful for the suppliant to seek deliverance from anything that impeded the success of his ministry, or occasioned him personal suffering. Yet we can scarcely recommend his example in this respect to imitation. It is doubtful whether Paul's prayer could be granted without the performance of a miracle. Whatever his infirmity was, it could not be removed in the ordinary course of God's providence, nor by the communications of his grace, which he ordinarily dispenses to his people. Now, we have no reason to expect that the Lord will work miracles for our relief from anything resembling that from which Paul suffered. He has himself sent the infirmity, for reasons, no doubt, wise and good to himself. Perhaps He has sent it as a part of necessary discipline; and it becomes us to be submissive to his dispensations, to seek support under the stroke of his hand, and to pray that he would overrule the visitation for our soul's benefit and for his own glory. The Apostle tells us that he entreated the Lord thrice, that this thorn in the flesh might depart from him. The supplication of his servant rose and entered the ear of the Lord of Hosts. It was recorded in Heaven, and a voice from the upper sanctuary announced that it was so. God bowed his ear, and responded to the cry which the sufferer had uttered. But not to comply with his petition. No! The Lord did not see fit to root out this thorn in the flesh; he would not withdraw this messenger of Satan. He was pleased still to continue it with his servant lest he should be exalted above measure. But there was vouchsafed to the sufferer a word from the Lord more precious than deliverance from the thorn in the flesh could have been. "He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

3. The Apostle's experience in this matter is most interesting and instructive. It proves that the prayer of faith is never in vain, though the request it conveys may not always be granted. It proves that the Lord feels for the sorrows of his people. It teaches the duty of patience, - the duty of being in all things resigned and submissive to the will of God. Let us consider well the answer which the Lord made to his servant. "My grace is sufficient for thee." Thou hast an infirmity; and it may seem to thee a serious drag and encumbrance, and to militate against thy success in preaching my Gospel. But mind it not. My grace is sufficient for thee. The aids of my spirit shall support thee under this trial. They shall give effect to thy preaching, delivered though it may be in much weakness, and fear, and trembling. However insufficient thou mayest be in thyself, my grace shall be all that thou needest, and it shall make thee all thou canst desire to be.

This language conveyed something like a reproof to the Apostle, mingled with the kindest assurance. It taught him, and it ought to teach us all, not to depend too much upon our own endowments, - neither to glory in our talents nor in our attainments, - nor to rely upon our own powers. Though this thorn in the flesh had been made to depart, - though this encumbrance had been removed, - though the bodily appearance of the Apostle, instead of being weak, had been the most imposing possible, - though his speech, which some called contemptible, had possessed the power and the sweetness of an Angel's, yet with all this, Paul of himself would have failed to convert a single soul to God. He would have failed to surmount a single difficulty. He would have fallen prostrate before the opposition of men and of Satan. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." (Zechariah chapter 4, verse 6) The Apostle required to be taught this truth. He required to be made to feel it. He required to have it brought home to him, amid the efforts of his public ministry, and in his hours of private study and meditation. He needed the thorn in the flesh as a constant remembrancer of his own insufficiency, a perpetual monitor to tell him that he was only a feeble instrument in the Lord's hand. Therefore the Lord said to him, "MY GRACE is sufficient for thee."

4. And as the Lord said to Paul, so may it be said to us. "God's grace is sufficient for us," and without it we are nothing. Without it we can do nothing. It may not be that any of us are distressed with an infirmity like to the Apostle's. There may not be a thorn in our flesh so sharp and painful as there was in his. None of us, it is certain, are called on to suffer as he suffered for Christ's sake. None of us have as yet been called to labour as he laboured. None of us have to run a race so arduous as that to which he was summoned, when it pleased God to call him by his grace. Still it is true of us, that we all have a work to do, to which we are unequal of ourselves. We have a burden to bear too heavy for human might. We have a battle to fight in which we must fail, unless the Lord come to our rescue with his own mighty arm. We have all of us what may be described as thorns in the flesh. We have all sinful desires. We have all depraved hearts. We have all tendencies to evil, and indisposition to good. We have all of us a law in our members drawing us into captivity to the law of sin and death. We are all liable to the buffetings of that formidable being who was permitted to tempt our first parents, to harass Job, and David, and Paul, and even Jesus Christ himself. He gapes upon us with his mouth, as a ravenous and roaring lion. We are all beset by many a peril in our journey heavenward. There is an earthliness about our natures that makes us think of this world to the exclusion of a better, - that makes us all concern and anxiety and care about the interests of time, and all indifference and listlessness about the interests of eternity. There is an ungodliness about them that makes us love the creature and think of the creature, more than the Creator. In short, our mental constitution is so depraved that we can think of God, only with the greatest difficulty, and forget God and wander from him with the greatest ease. To sin, to wander like lost sheep, is congenial to our nature; to follow righteousness is something for which we are unfit, unless an almighty power be made to bear upon us to constrain us. Nothing but the grace of God can lead us in the way that is right. Nothing but the grace of God can hold us up under all this weight, under all this downpressing power. Nothing but the grace of God is sufficient for us. But Glory to the Lord, His grace is sufficient. His Spirit CAN quicken us when our souls cleave to the dust. His Spirit CAN enlighten us when we are in darkness, and enable us to see the way before us. His Spirit can comfort us when we are sorrowing, and enable us to be always rejoicing and to glory in tribulations. His Spirit can refresh us when we are weary and faint, amid the difficulties and discouragements of the way. His grace can destroy the sin that is within us, and fill our souls with holy dispositions. His Spirit, in short, can fit us for the discharge of every duty, and the endurance of every trial, in this life, and can fit us for the enjoyment of infinite bliss in the life that is to come.

"My grace is sufficient for thee." So saith the Lord to each one of his struggling and trembling followers. Thou art not sufficient for these things, but I am. These enemies that thou dreadest may be many, but I will arise and scatter them. I will drive them away as chaff before the wind. "My grace is sufficient for thee" are his words to those whom in providence he has bereaved of the desire of their eyes. "My grace is sufficient for thee," are his heartcheering words to every one whom he calls to the performance of arduous duty, or to submission to severe trial. "My grace is sufficient for thee," are his words to each one of his believing people in all the changes and troubles of this earthly scene.

5. The second clause of our text now demands our attention. "FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS." My strength is made perfect. We have here asserted a general feature in the economy of God's dealings with man. It is the Lord's plan. We may understand Him to say that it is His practice to make his strength perfect in weakness. By this the Lord means that the weakness of His creatures is made use of to shew the perfection of His strength, - that from their frailty and feebleness he causes glory to redound to the might of his own arm, to the fulness and the exceeding riches of his grace. Paul felt himself weak. He felt as if his infirmity unfitted him for any vigorous effort on the Lord's behalf. He felt as if it precluded all hopes of his success in the work whereunto he had been appointed. Therefore, he prayed earnestly that it might depart from him. The Lord allowed it to remain that his own strength might be perfected in the weakness of his servant. That all the glory might be secured to himself, and that the creature might have none of it, he caused the very chiefest of his Apostles go forth amidst hard hearted Jews and cavilling Greeks, amidst self-righteous Pharisees and proud philosophers, - amidst men with whom outward appearance was everything, - He caused him to go forth among these compassed with infirmity. But he did not allow his servant to feel himself helpless and alone, and forsaken. Oh no! He stood by him and strengthened him. He was with him to comfort and help by land and by sea. He was with him when fighting with the furious mob of Ephesus. He was with him when disputing with the philosophers of Athens, and when he was offered divine honours by the idolaters of Lystra. He was with him when arraigned before Felix, and Festus, and Agrippa, and Caesar. He was with him amidst tempest, and storm, and shipwreck. He was with him when immured in the gloom of the dungeon. He was with him at last when he came to be offered, and placed on his head the crown of martyrdom. In Paul's experience the promise was gloriously fulfilled, "I will never fail thee, nor forsake thee."

So, brethren, will it be in yours, if like the Apostle you trust in the Lord and call upon him. The same great high priest who was touched with a feeling of HIS infirmities, will feel for yours. The same hand that conducted him, will conduct you. The same faithful friend will stand by you. The same blessed Spirit will comfort you. The same strength will be made perfect in your weakness. The same counsel will guide you, till at last you are received into glory. "MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS." Who of God's believing people has not found that it is so? Who that trusted in the Lord has not found the Lord fully able to to keep him in the evil day? Who has not found things that he dreaded less terrible than he anticipated? Who has not found the Lord's consolations to be precious in the hour of nature's sorrow, when the heart was rent by losses grievous to be borne, when earthly treasures were removed, and earthly stays withdrawn? These are the seasons when human strength is found to be very weakness, when human friends are found to be miserable comforters all, and human hopes transitory as a dream in the night. But these are the seasons when the Lord is found to be a very present help. Then it is that his faithfulness is appreciated; then it is that he is known to be a sure stay, and an unmoving portion.

Brethren, seek that you may profit by this record of the experience of the Apostle of the Gentiles. Before you can reach your Father's house, you will meet with much to alarm, much to depress, much to try you. Your health may give way. The loved beings whom you cherish as dear to you as your own souls, may be suddenly cut down as the grass, and hid beneath the cold sod. Your temporal possessions may vanish from your grasp. Hopes long indulged may be disappointed. Plans long formed may be disconcerted. 'Ichabod' may be written on all of this earth which belongs to you. Still there is one friend whom you cannot lose, - one treasure that you cannot be deprived of, - one source of trust that shall never fail you. The grace of your Lord, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for you. It will uphold you. It will comfort you, and strengthen you. The Lord's strength shall be made perfect in your weakness.

6. We now come, in conclusion, to apply this blessed passage to our particular cases.

Are there any of you sitting in darkness and without light, - with the conciousness of guilt on the one hand, and the FEAR OF DAMNATION on the other, ignorant whither to escape, - and unable to escape though a place of refuge were pointed out to you? Hear the word of the Lord. It is Jesus who speaks. My grace is sufficient for thee. I can raise thee up from the dust. I can shelter thee from deserved condemnation. My blood can cleanse away all thy sins. I will stand between thee and wrath. I will be to thee as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest. My grace is sufficient for thee, thou guilty and trembling one. Thou hast no righteousness of thine own, but mine will clothe thee. Thou hast no strength of thine own, but mine shall sustain thee. I am nigh thee. Be not afraid.

Are there again any of you upon whom the chastening hand of Jehovah hath fallen? any who feel his stroke to be so heavy, that you cannot rise from beneath it, and seem as if it would crush you altogether. Hear the Saviour's voice, "My grace is sufficient for thee: my strength is made perfect in weakness." It hath seemed good unto me to visit thee with this trial. Yet I will not abandon thee. I will not leave thee comfortless. Cast down as thou art, I am able to raise thee up. Tried as thou mayest be, I will overrule the whole for thy good.

Or are there any of you whose position and circumstances entail on you painful struggles in the maintenance of your profession? Are you assailed by the scoffs of ungodly relatives, and the chilling worldly maxims of friends who seek their portion only in this life. We say to you, be steadfast, for Christ's grace is sufficient for you. Hold fast the possession of your faith without wavering, and severe as the test applied to you is, and weak as you yourselves are, the Lord will support you. He will glorify Himself by sustaining you amid temptations the most formidable, and He will glorify His truth in the face of gainsayers. Take His word for your guide; and let His glory be your aim. Only trust Him. Go forward in His name and He will make you victorious, yea, He will make you more than conquerors. Amen, so be it, Lord. - (Unsigned, but believed to have been written by Rev. James Forbes)

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