The Importance of Hardship – Greg Laurie Devotion – May 26, 2026

Biblical Context

The apostle Paul penned the letter of 2 Corinthians to the church in Corinth. This wasn’t his first letter to them, and it came during a time when his leadership and authority were under attack by false teachers. Paul often found himself having to defend his calling and ministry. He didn’t shy away from sharing his struggles and suffering, not as a sign he was failing, but as proof that his ministry was real and God-sent. This particular section, 2 Corinthians 12, comes after Paul has talked about some amazing spiritual experiences, including being caught up to Heaven. It’s here that he moves into discussing a challenging personal experience—the “thorn in his flesh”—which God allowed to keep him grounded and humble.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at the word “weakness” from 2 Corinthians 12:9. The Greek word here is ἀσθένεια (astheneia). It means a lack of strength, sickness, or infirmity. It points to a state of being feeble or lacking ability, whether that’s physically, emotionally, or spiritually. When Paul uses it, he’s talking about a place where human effort falls short. This makes perfect room for God’s power to show up in a clear way. It’s not just a physical problem; it means any kind of human limit or failing.

A Glimpse of Heaven, A Need for Humility

Just imagine for a second seeing Heaven. Most of us can’t even begin to picture what that would be like. Now, think about the huge impact such a vision would have on someone. It’s not hard to see how a privilege like that could make a person a little arrogant, don’t you think?

Picture yourself sitting with a group of friends, all sharing stories about where they went for vacation. “We went to Hawaii,” one person says, smiling. “We went to Tahiti,” another chips in. “Me? I went to Italy,” says a third.

Can you just picture the apostle Paul, listening patiently, just waiting for the exact right moment to top every single one of them? He’s probably thinking, “I went to Heaven.”

“Heaven? Are you serious? Like, Heavenly Valley, that ski place near Tahoe?” someone might ask, trying to make sense of it.

“No,” Paul would calmly correct them. “I’m talking about Heaven—the actual place of eternal reward, where God lives.”

“Wow. And what was it like?” you’d ask, your jaw probably on the floor.

“I can’t really explain it,” Paul might say, still humble. “But believe me, it was better than anywhere you went.”

The Thorn and God’s Plan

The amazing thing is, Paul didn’t get full of himself because of this unbelievable experience. God actually stepped in with a plan to keep him from being filled with pride. Paul described it himself: “So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud” (2 Corinthians 12:7 nlt). We don’t know what this thorn in his flesh was, do we? People have guessed all sorts of things—a physical illness, an emotional struggle, problems with false teachers. The Bible doesn’t spell it out for us, and maybe that’s on purpose. It means we can all relate to having our own “thorn” that we wish would just go away. All we know for sure is that it was bothersome enough for Paul to pray hard, really hard, to be rid of it.

God’s Grace in Weakness

Paul tells us exactly how he dealt with it: “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:8–10 nlt).

Think about Paul’s persistence. He didn’t pray just once; he asked God to take it away three separate times. This shows how deeply he wanted relief. But God’s answer wasn’t what Paul hoped for. It was better. God’s grace—His unearned favor and help—was enough. And His power? It doesn’t just work despite our weaknesses, it works best in them. This is a game-changer, isn’t it?

Seeing Strength Differently

So often, we imagine that we’re at our best when we operate from a place of strength. We picture ourselves bold, confident, unshakable, and untouchable by any problems or tough times. We convince ourselves that we’re most useful after we’ve cleared away all the obstacles from our path and gotten over our illnesses. We think we need to “fix” everything before God can truly use us.

But God sees it a different way entirely. He actually prefers that we operate from a place of weakness. Why? So that His strength is absolutely clear to everyone. When you are strong, people see your strength. When you are weak, and God still uses you in big ways, then everyone knows it’s Him doing the work. He wants us to rely on Him so completely that others can’t help but see our reliance on Him, and then they’ll be led to rely on Him too. Your struggle, handled God’s way, becomes a powerful witness.

Hardship Makes Us Usable

This is why He allowed trouble in Paul’s life. And it’s also why He lets trouble come into our lives. Hardship isn’t just something to endure; it’s a tool God uses. It makes people usable in His kingdom, but only if we truly understand hardship for what it is. It’s not punishment, not always a mistake we made. Often, it’s a refining fire, a humbling experience, or a way to highlight God’s unmatched power. When we recognize our limits, we step aside and let God take the lead. This surrender, born from difficulty, makes us ready vessels for His work.

So, as you face your own challenges today, ask yourself: How can you respond to a current hardship in your life in a way that makes you usable in God’s kingdom? You’re not alone in your weakness; you’re actually in the perfect spot for God to show up big.