To be like Paul..

2 Corinthians 11:24-27 KJV
11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one.
11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
11:26 [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren;
11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Here Paul is talking to the church of Corinth and he is mentioning the adversities he has faced during his ministry.

As I read this I was overwhelmed with thinking "how did he endure? How did he keep going? How did he persivere?" There wasn't anything that he went through that stopped him from following God's will for his life.

Then I read here in chapter 12
12:7 And 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.
12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

In verses 7 and 8 he mentions how he went to God 3 times and begged God to remove his "thorn in the flesh" but God didn't do it.
And instead of arguing and being frustrated with God, he again submitted and said "I will take pleasure..." "If it brings God the glory , then I will take pleasure in these things" To me that is simply amazing. God did not take away the pain, Paul still suffered, he experienced everything to it's fullest. But what got him through it was God's wonderful Grace!

I think so often when we are faced with adversity, we fight God. We get angry and frustrated. We allow our flesh to lead our spirit. But if we could just be like Paul. If we can be determined to say "therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses FOR CHRIST'S SAKE: for when I am weak, then am I strong" How different our lives as Christians would be. It doesn't mean that it takes anything away, but we are allowing God's power to REST upon us.....
I am going to strive to have the mindset of Paul. Some may think it is too difficult to be like Jesus. It is a far fetch to be like our perfect God. but Paul was human, a sinner, a person with a past, yet he persevered! He made God his focus and in the end he gave God the honor and glory!