【林后12:10】我为基督的缘故，就以软弱，凌辱，急难，逼迫，困苦，为可喜乐的。因我什么时候软弱，什么时候就刚强了。【2Co12:10】That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

当哥林多教会里有人质疑保罗使徒的身份，保罗为了捍卫真理，不得不讲述自己在主里的经历，包括他被提到三层天的异象，When some in Corinth questioned whether Paul was truly an apostle, Paul, to defend the truth, spoke of his experiences in the Lord — including being caught up to the third heaven.他提到“肉体上的一根刺”，使他时常软弱，好叫他不至于自高自大。He mentioned “a thorn in the flesh,” which kept him weak, so he would not become proud.他曾三次求主挪去，却听见主说：“我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。” He prayed three times for the Lord to take it away, but the Lord answered: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”当这些艰难临到时，保罗即使软弱他也并没有退缩，愿意效法基督顺服至死。When troubles came, even though Paul was weak, he didn’t pull back, but chose to follow Christ in obedience all the way to death.

过去我常常以为软弱就是失败，在困苦的环境中，我常常感到孤单和无力。人的逼迫、外在的压力、生活的重担使我有后退的心。I used to think weakness meant failure. In hardship I often felt alone and helpless. People’s persecution, outside pressure, and the weight of life made me want to give up.但主恩广阔，原来这些艰难，凌辱，急难，逼迫，困苦的环境，都是主为我度身定做的恩典，But the Lord’s grace is wide and deep. These hardships, insults, troubles, persecutions, and difficulties are grace the Lord has tailored for me.每一次的流泪，每一次的跌倒，每一次心中默默想‘我不行、放弃吧‘，却在呼喊“主啊，赦免我，怜悯我”的时候，施恩的主便伸手扶持我，让我一次次靠主又重新站立起来。Every tear, every fall, every time I thought, “I can’t do it, I’ll give up,” yet when I cried, “Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me,” the Lord of grace reached out and held me up, helping me stand again and again in Him.主虽然以艰难给我当饼，以困苦给我当水，人看我的环境真是苦啊，但主的意思是好的，The Lord gives me adversity as bread and affliction as water. People may look at my life and say it’s bitter, but the Lord’s intention is good.主是训练我的老师，祂在苦难的炉中拣选我，熬炼我，为让我的灵魂苏醒。He is my teacher, training me, choosing me in the furnace of suffering, refining me, restoring my soul.

主啊，我感谢你为我预备的苦路，乃是正路、义路。越走，我越喜欢苦难和十字架了，Lord, thank You for the road of suffering You prepared for me — it is the straight path, the righteous path. The more I walk it, the more I treasure suffering and the cross.这是让我认识基督，晓得他复活的大能，并且晓得和他一同受苦，效法他的死，得以真经历祂，从死里复活的大能之路。For through them I come to know Christ, the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, to be like Him in His death, and truly experience the power of His resurrection.保罗经历了，才宣告说：我为基督的缘故，就以软弱，凌辱，急难，逼迫，困苦，为可喜乐的。就是在患难中也是欢欢喜喜的。Paul went through this and could declare: For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. Even in trials he was rejoicing.因为知道患难生忍耐，忍耐生老练，老练生盼望，盼望不至于羞耻；Because he knew suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.因为所赐给我们的圣灵将神的爱浇灌在我们心里。And hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

主啊，你是使人有盼望的神，Lord, You are the God of hope.愿你照着我们个人的信心，将软弱，凌辱，急难，逼迫，困苦的环境赐给我们，According to each of our faith, may You give us times of weakness, insults, troubles, persecutions, and difficulties.愿我们在每一个熬炼中，仰望你的怜悯，能走过流泪谷，得着比仍然能坏的金子更显宝贵的信心。May we look to Your mercy in every test, walk through the valley of tears, and gain a faith more precious than gold that perishes.因信：“因我什么时候软弱，什么时候就刚强了。”神就必将诸般的喜乐平安充满我们的心，使我们藉着圣灵的能力大有盼望。By faith: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” God will fill our hearts with all joy and peace, so that through the Spirit’s power we overflow with hope.愿这句话如今成为我生命的座右铭。May this word become the motto of my life.愿我的一生，更多见证神在我软弱中的恩典，让流泪谷，成为神秋雨之福，盖满的泉源之地，结出累累圣灵硕果，荣耀主名。May my whole life show God’s grace in my weakness, so that the valley of tears becomes a place of springs, covered with the autumn rain of God’s blessing, bearing abundant fruit of the Spirit, to the glory of the Lord’s name.

（郭牧师Pastor Guo）