300 times

Paul (dude in the Bible) pleaded 3 times for God to remove his thorn, his struggles.

3 times - heck that's nothing...

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Lyrics

A man had a weakness
Stung like a thorn in his side
He pleaded, "release me"
You declined
Three times he made his plea
Why would you listen to me

300 times
I looked to the sky
And cried out for healing
For my troubled mind
And 300 ways
You showered new grace
What I really need, I can find
300 times

How do you love me?
O let me count the ways
You know me, you show me
Your love in my weakest place
When my strength is at the end
I come running again

Chorus

One, two, three hundred stumbles
One, two, three hundred falls
One, two, three hundred fumbles
So many, can't count them all, but there's
Four, five, six hundred mercies
Seven, eight hundred times you forgave
So one more "Heaven won't ya help me"

Chorus

© 2008  Nate Sabin/Staci Frenes/Brian Bates

Notes:

I remember the days I got the words for this one.  It's a pretty good story...

I was reading in the Bible in 2 Cor. 12: 7-10, where Paul was talking about the "thorn in his flesh"  He pleaded with God three times to remove it, yet instead God delivered two HUGE truths: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness".

Then I went for a jog as I often do, and while running thought to myself: "Paul asked God three times to remove his thorn... heck, that's nothing!".  And to the beat of my jogging feet came the chorus "300 times, I looked to the sky...".  Chuckling and choked up, I finished my run, skipped the shower, and penned the words to "300 Times".

Sure, we'd all rather have our "thorns" removed, our familiar areas of weakness that discourage and trip us up.  And don't get me wrong, I'm gonna keep asking!  Yet in the meantime, I see how my weakness teaches me dependence like nothing else can.  Over the years I’m learning to accept the redemptive purpose of it all.  I believe our struggles are sacred.