The Apostle Paul told of a situation that had come upon him in 2 Cor. 12:7-9, that he was suffering mightily from a physical, or spiritual attack. The attack was severe enough that he called it a "thorn", a pointed stake, something used in impaling, in his flesh. He said it was a messenger of Satan sent to "buffet", or beat him. He did not say specifically what this attack was, but Apostle Paul said he begged the Lord three times to relieve him of this suffering. In answer to Paul's prayer and beseeching, the Lord gave Paul a revelation. We sometimes make the mistake of thinking of this answer from the Lord somewhat religiously, as some sort of weak comfort. This is the answer the Lord gave to Paul:
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Paul concluded "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Not only did he say he would rejoice in those infirmities, but that he would MOST gladly do so, so great was the revelation of grace that he received.
What was the meaning of grace that was revealed to Paul, that he found so powerful?
The first mention of "grace" in scripture is found in Gen. 6:8. The inhabitants of the earth had grown so evil and perverse, that the LORD regretted that He had made man. He had resolved to destroy man and all living creatures from the earth in order to stop the evil that man had become. But something caused the LORD to refrain from this judgment of utter destruction:
"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."
Grace, in many scriptures from the Torah, is mentioned in connection with the LORD's eyes, or sight. When the LORD looked upon Noah, He saw something. What the LORD saw, reflected something of Himself that was still left in this sole man. The word "grace" in Hebrew means "favor, charm, elegance, acceptance, pleasant, precious, good will." The root word that it comes from means "to decline, to incline, encamp, bend down, pitch a tent, dwell, defend, inhabit, rested." Noah's name means "rest" as well. The word "grace" also refers to wherever the Tabernacle of God was pitched. "Grace" is the dwelling place, the tabernacle of God. When God looked to and fro among men, He saw His tabernacle or dwelling place when He looked at Noah. Grace is God's dwelling place.
Grace is also the fullness of Christ:
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And of His fullness, we have all received, and grace for grace." John 1:14, 16
The Word dwelt among us. God dwelling among us in His tabernacle. One of the meanings of the word "grace" is "to dwell". Verse 16 tells us that the fullness of Christ IS grace, for the Father dwells fully in Him. And we, also have received this fullness according to verse 16.
If we look back again at 2 Cor. 12:9, the Lord tells Apostle Paul that His grace is sufficient for him. In English, the word "sufficient" means "meeting the need of, as much as is needed, enough to meet the needs of a situation, and from the Latin root:" legally satisfying".
So why is Paul, instead of being mournful over the circumstance that has tortured him, now thankful? It is the very need itself that has caused His Father to answer with His grace. If the need were not present, the grace would not have to answer. It is the same situation as the scripture in Rom. 5:20-21:
"...where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The need created by sin, caused God to answer, or cover the need, with grace, embodied in His Son. As it turns out, the remedy, grace, exceeds in every way, the need that it was created to answer. In Greek, the word "sufficient" used to describe grace in 2 Cor. 12:9 is defined as "to be possessed of unfailing strength, to be satisfied, to be contented, to raise up, to elevate, to lift up, to remove, to carry off, to cause to cease". The sufficiency of grace fills with "unfailing strength". The only unfailing strength that exists is the very strength of God, Himself. All other natural strength can reach a point of failure, but not this kind of divine, supernatural strength.
A wonderful example of the answering power of grace is found in Zech. 4:6-7:
"This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit", says the LORD of hosts. "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone (headstone) with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"
The mountain of obstacle that stood before Zerubbabel to defeat him, even though it is described as being great, would be torn down, and the headstone that comes from it would be like the setting stone, or central building stone at the top of an arch, the stone that holds the arch together. By the overcoming power, sufficiency and unfailing strength of "Grace", that which was obstructing has become the supporting strength upon which to build.
No wonder Paul's grief and burden was transformed in his spirit into joy and thanksgiving by the blessing of the revelation of "grace".
Our Father is Grace.
"Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I
