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A Thorn in Your Side

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"    2 Cor. 12:9

I stumbled upon a new phrase recently.  Perhaps you've heard it, but it was a first for me, and I immediately latched on tight to it.  This new phrase will replace my former expression of "Sandpaper People."  This new phrase can actually be used somewhat undercover because it is an acronym.  I'm not sure if you'll be as fascinated by it as I was, but here it is:

E. G. R. -- Extra Grace Required

Don't you love it?  This expression is a perfect sentiment to have come to mind when you are around someone who . . .  well, requires extra grace!

We all have someone.  I bet you even have a mental picture of someone's face that popped in your head whenever you read that phrase! 

The irony in all of this is that our focal verse comes out of the passage where Paul is telling the Corinthian church about his thorn in his flesh.  Well, haven't you used the expression before that (name of a person) is such a "thorn in your side"?  I know that I have. 

Paul tells the church that although he is afflicted with this ailment -- and we are never told exactly what it is -- that the Lord has told him on multiple occasions that He is going to give him the grace to persevere.  He is going to supply the extra grace that will be required to deal with his thorn.  The Lord told Paul that He actually thrives in times of weakness because it is then that His power is on perfect display.  

Well, my friend, the same grace that was sufficient for Paul is made available to us.  We have the ability to tap into the same power source as Paul did.  I really think that God puts those E. G. R. people in our paths sometimes to see if we're going to tap into the power that has been put at our disposal through Christ, or if we are going to rely on our own ability, which typically results in a carnal mess.

Think about this the next time you encounter your E. G. R. person(s):  Jesus is getting an opportunity to show off through you and how you respond to them! 

Paul goes on to say that because of what Christ gets to do through his weakness, He is actually glad that he has to endure his thorn.  Have you ever been truly glad to have an encounter with your "thorn"?

So, when that person crosses your path today or in the future, I truly hope that you will approach them with a whole new way of thinking.  Walk towards them thanking God that He has chosen to show off through you on that day!  Don't fake it, but rather let God's grace and His power be on display through your actions and reactions. 

Perhaps your E. G. R. is not a person, but rather a location or a situation.  Do you need an extra dose of grace when:
  • You're stuck in rush hour traffic on the way to work and you're already late?
  • You are forced to wait a lengthy amount of time for what is supposed to be "fast" food?
  • You get a call requesting a Parent - Teacher Conference?
  • You miss your morning coffee?
Take some time to thank God for giving you the opportunity to demonstrate His perfect power in whatever situation sparks your need for extra grace.  Thank God for those people whom God is using in your life to refine you and to train you to extend grace, whenever your natural response is just the opposite.  Strive to imitate and replicate Paul's attitude when he said:

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Cor. 12:10

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