When I prayed for God to help me understand 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, I was hoping for some quiet reflection time, maybe a fresh perspective over a cup of coffee—not a medical crisis, a career upheaval, and a total rewrite of my life plan. But God, in His wisdom (and divine sense of humor), knew that the only way I’d truly grasp His power in my weakness was to walk through a season where I had nothing left but Him.

Now, when I ask God to help me understand Scripture, I always add, “But please, Lord, nothing too dramatic this time.”