That the power of Christ may rest upon me

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – 2 Corinthians 12v9

We often look at a ministry that is, to our eyes at least, thriving. We see a preacher who is well known, always sees results, and has a full schedule. We see a church that meets in a beautiful building with marvellous facilities, and has every kind of resource available to its people. The bank account is full and the pockets are deep. We are tempted to say, “Wow, the power of God is sure on that ministry.”

I would be the last to doubt that God’s power could be on those ministries, but I do know that those things are not a valid indicator of God’s power. Paul writes that the power of Christ rested on him when he bore his infirmities.

When we are able to succeed on our own and a ministry thrives because of our resources, who power is seen? Far too often it is the power of the men involved. The power of God on a man and his ministry is most clearly seen in trials and affliction. God’s power is seen when all else fails.

Everything going well is no indication that the power of God is on a man or ministry. In Paul’s case it was just the opposite.