2 corinthians 12:7-10 (msg)

Gift of handicap

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.


The gift of handicap is powerful.
When it is appreciated, we'll be able to be humble and admit our weaknesses before God.
When we do it, we are able to have that divine exchange with God!

Limitations will break us when we see it negatively.
It can strengthen us and grow us when we take it biblically;
when we allow God to take control of these limits.

We can grow by sharing it with our shepherds/leaders.
And by surrendering and asking God to come into our lives to do
that divine exchange that Paul experienced!

God will turn a test into a testimony!