Portraits of Grace

John MacArthur: This is John MacArthur. Join me for today's Portraits of Grace. Did you know that God sometimes sends trials your way just to humble you? That's right, he does that just so you won't become overconfident in your own spiritual strength and blessing.

In fact, that's what God did to the Apostle Paul. Paul needed humbling because he had so many revelations, so God allowed him to be plagued by what Paul called a messenger of Satan—a satanic agent, a demon. Probably the demon who was leading the man who was conspiring to destroy the Corinthian Church.

But God used that demon-possessed man tearing up that church to humble Paul. God wants His people humbled. Whenever you're hit with a trial, it may be that God is humbling you, and the weaker you are, the more powerful you are. Paul said, "When I am weak, then I am strong."