Sketch by Patrick Murphy

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

“Grace” is the Life which can suffer and die yet be raised again.  Christ in us is grace.  He can go through weaknesses, difficulties, persecutions, and the like (2 Cor. 12:10).  Not only do these not destroy Him, they are catalysts of resurrection and power.  Paul isn’t just talking about being supernaturally strengthened in hard times.  He is talking about functioning in union with Jesus.  He starts 2 Corinthians talking about his great sufferings in Asia and how he despaired even of life (2 Cor. 1:8).  This happened, Paul explains, “so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9).  In chapter 12, he is still expounding this theme.  Functioning in union with Christ means that stress and hardship are occasions of being raised new and unfettered.

What, then, can man or the world or the devil do?  If our faith is in God who raises the dead, what do we need to fear when death is the worst we can suffer?