Rejoice in Your Trials

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.
2 Co 11:30–33
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Rejoice in Your Trials
In a world that prizes strength, Paul’s “boasting” in weakness seems absurd. Yet his recounting of dangers, hardships, and humiliations underscores a deeper truth: our strength is not our own but comes from Christ. Paul’s sufferings reflect the life of a servant, pointing to the ultimate Servant, Jesus, who bore the cross for us. The cross teaches us that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. Paul’s escape in a basket, a humbling experience for a Roman citizen, reminds us that God’s deliverance often comes in unexpected ways. Just as Paul was brought low, so too was Christ, humbling Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. In Christ’s apparent defeat, God secured victory for us. When we are weak, He is strong. Rejoice, then, in your trials, for they draw you to the cross, where grace abounds and the power of God sustains you.