I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

In Christ Jesus, the believer finds strength for all things. Christ is between him and all weakness; and he can say, I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.

When Paul confronted the thorn in the flesh and besaught the Lord three times that it might depart from him, he learned that great lesson that His grace is sufficient for him; His strength is made perfect in weakness - notice "made perfect" - not only made manifest.

Had God said to him, "I will reveal my strength in your infirmity," it would have been a great assurance; but, far better than this, only in the weakness of man can God display the perfection of His strength.

The weaker we are and feel ourselves to be, the stronger He can prove Himself to be; so that ony when we become perfectly hopeless and helpless in ourselves and absolutely abandon ourselves to Him, can He fully and perfectly glorify His own grace. Omnipotence needs impotence for its sphere of working.

Arthur J. Pierson