Scripture Study
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Back in July, I was finishing a training run. I was trying to set a personal best in a 10K, with a goal of finishing in under an hour. When I checked my time, I was happy to see I had finished well under my goal, and I felt like I could have gone faster.
Later that day, I began to feel pain in my lower back and hips. I didn’t think much of it and assumed it was just fatigue from the run, so I took a couple of days to rest. But the pain didn’t go away. I had it evaluated, and they told me the muscles were irritated from overuse and that rest and physical therapy would get me back to training.
About a month later, there had been some improvement, but I still couldn’t train. I had stopped physical therapy, and I was disheartened and struggling mentally. I had gone from training every day and being almost ready for my first triathlon to not being able to do any strenuous activity without causing more pain.
When Perspective Narrows
It started to affect my everyday life. I always had a little pain, and I thought about it all the time. My thinking narrowed, and I could only see what I couldn’t do. I allowed it to take away the joy I found in the other things I do.
I recently had another appointment, and the doctor discovered I have mild scoliosis. It has my body out of alignment, and that is why I have been in pain. I’m now starting physical therapy again, hoping to strengthen the muscles that stabilize my back and reduce inflammation.
That diagnosis helped me understand the source of the pain, but it also reminded me that weakness can reveal places where I need to depend on God more deeply.
Grace in Weakness
In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul writes:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 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.”
Paul never says what his “thorn in the flesh” was, but this verse is a reminder that God gives us the grace we need and that His power is shown in our weakness.
Noticing What’s Still Here
In hindsight, I wish I would have been more grateful for what I had. But this season has made me more grateful for what I am still capable of doing. I have used the extra time to play some disc golf with family members and friends.
I still plan to complete an Ironman. It’s delayed, but in God’s timing and by His power, I believe I’ll get there. Until then, I’m learning to notice what God has still placed in front of me today.
I wish I hadn’t needed a pause to see how much I had. If you’re in a season where you can only see what’s missing, I pray you’ll look up, notice what’s still here, and trust that God’s grace is enough for today.
Keep your eyes on Christ,
Alex Lushko
