If anyone deserved a "Yes" to their prayers, it was Paul. He had been stoned, shipwrecked, and beaten for the sake of the Gospel. Yet when he begs God to remove this "messenger of Satan" (a challenge which Paul does not explain), God says No. Remember, Paul wrote this to a church that was questioning his leadership. Is this the kind of confession you would make to people who already question your spiritual credentials? Most organizations, including churches and ministries, hire and fire based on competence. We want strong, impressive problem solvers on our team. But when Paul asked God to take away his weaknesses, he didn't get strength. Instead, God spoke to him and offered him grace. Paul doesn't say God removed his weakness and then he was strong. He says when he was struggling, God's power showed up. We often view our internal struggles and external limitations as obstacles to our faith. We think, "If God would take care of these problems, then I could trust him." But God works the opposite way: "These difficulties are how you learn to depend on me."