We all face challenges we would never choose, and we try to be strong. But too often we think we need to be the source of our strength, forgetting that our real strength comes from God. Paul experienced a lifetime of difficulties, but never lost hope. In fact, he came to see his "handicap" as a gift.

"...so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.

My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."  (From 2 Corinthians 12, Eugene Peterson's, "The Message")

How can we do the same?