When
Tarah was in high school, she had a growing fear that she would someday battle
a serious illness. So she began to pray—asking God to spare her from this
imagined illness. Then she reached a turning point in her thinking, and she
yielded her future to God no matter what.
Years
later, Tarah’s doctor found a cancerous tumor, which was successfully treated
with chemotherapy. Tarah says that because she had entrusted her future to God,
she was ready when the disease came. Her problem became an avenue for God’s strength.
This idea
of surrendering to God can be seen in Paul’s life as well. His surrender came
after the problem—“a thorn in the flesh”—had developed (2 Cor. 12:7). Paul
prayed repeatedly about this difficulty, pleading for the Lord to take it from
him. But God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness” (v.9). Understanding this, Paul adopted a positive view:
“Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me. . . . For when I am weak, then I am strong” (vv.9-10).
In facing our fears and struggles, it’s vital that we yield totally to God. When we do, God can use our problems as an avenue for His power.
