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NASB | 2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Corinthians 12:10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God's strength]. |
Bible Question: Does anyone have a practical method for dealing with insults? If you have experience in this area, and if you have found a way to deal with it, especially within the church, please share. |
Bible Answer: There were 2 members of our church who used to constantly insult my clothing. LOL Through prayer and patience, God actually taught me, that by keeping my eyes on Him, and not being steamed and complaining about their little barbs, he would give me what to say. (And believe you me... they used to get me hot under the collar!) One Sunday we were preparing to go to downtown Los Angeles, to feed the homeless and give them clothing. One of them looked at me and commented, "Sister Huck, girl how are you dressed?" The other chimed in with, "God called us to feed the homeless, not look like them." My heart and mind being in the right place... I just blurted out, "Oh come now girls, God is interested in the condition of my heart and not my clothes." And the clothing insults ceased. ... and might I add that the 3 of us are very close now. I noticed when I let insults from members of the church get me angry, I am not able to overcome the problem. But when I allow God to have the reins of my heart and mind... I always have the words to quench the fire. Here is a final more serious situation I endured. My mother who was very well loved and an active teacher in the church (don't get me wrong she was not perfect or anything) was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1997. Many of the saints prayed for her recovery and she did quite well through 1998. In May of 1999 on Mother's Day, she took a turn for the worse. The Pastor's wife who was one of Mama's closest friends took up the cause to pray for her healing. (through prayer groups and personal prayer) She would call me often and ask if we were praying for and with Mama. I told her we were. Mama died on the 2nd of June 1999 in my arms. When I called to inform the Pastor and his wife, she said our family should have prayed with more faith. (She was wrought with tears and grief) She accused our family of not having the faith to move God to heal my mother. I knew she was just grieving and looking to vent. The insult came when the Pastor called me 3 days before Mama's funeral, and said, "You all really need to work on your faith. If there had been more faith in your prayers, your mother would have been healed. (That really hurt me) I prayed about it, I did not want to go to the funeral mad as a hatter, plus Mama's final arrangements were my responsibility so I already had enough on my mind. When I spoke at Mama's funeral, God brought to my heart the words she shared with me before she passed into the arms of Jesus. I first reminded them of who we were in Christ. And I told them that my mother did not want you all to feel sorry for our loss or her death. Our loss is truly her gain. (as the Apostle Paul taught) then I turned to the pulpit and said; some of you think our faith was not strong enough to move the Lord to heal her... but my mother wanted you all to know in the event she should die, your prayers had been answered, God has given her the HIGHEST HEALING, she is with HIM forevermore. The next day the Pastor called me and apologized for the remarks that were made, going as far as to admit, that he'd taken his eyes off of the infinate goal of the Believer... ETERNAL LIFE WITH CHRIST! And for a brief moment he was looking at the finite world. We are closer than ever these days, the next year the day after the first anniversary of Mama's passing, his wife died of a massive stroke, my mother's words helped him and his family to see the eternal value of their loss. Take the insults to Jesus, He really understands and knows how to make it of greater value to all concerned. -khuck |