Is there something you wish you were better at? It’s not very fun feeling weak at something while everyone else seems to do it easily.

The apostle Paul had something hard in his life too. He called it a “thorn,” like a sharp little sticker that just wouldn’t go away and kept bothering him. Paul never said in the Bible exactly what it was, but we know he asked God three times to take it away. And do you know what God said? He didn’t take the problem away. Instead, He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (NLT).

That’s surprising for a lot of people! We usually think we have to be super strong on our own. But God says the times we feel weakest are the perfect times for His strength to shine through us. When we admit, “God, I can’t do this by myself,” that’s exactly when He steps in and helps.

Think About It: What’s something hard in your life right now—a “thorn” that keeps bothering you? Instead of feeling embarrassed about being weak in that area, try telling God, “I can’t do this on my own, but Your strength is enough for me.” How might it change things to trust that God’s power can work right in the middle of your weakness?