Section 18
enable him to bear a hard word. The most dif ficult thing for us to bear is a hard word. We all like to hear soft, sugar-coated words. However, if you like sugar-coated words, you will be cheated. It is much better to speak salty words. In Colossians 4:6 Paul tells us that our speech should always be seasoned with salt. This means that we must be restricted in our speech. Helpful words are salted words, not sugar-coated words. Learn to accept salty words. If you are filled with grace and have the abundance of grace, you will be happy with any kind of word.
Paul had a certain trouble, a thorn in the flesh, and he asked the Lord three times to re move it (2 Cor. 12:7-9). The Lord seemed to answer him, "I will not remove the thorn. You must suffer it by My grace. My grace is sufficient for you." What is this grace? It is the incarnation of Christ. It is nothing less than Christ Himself as our enjoyment. When you enjoy this grace, the issue will be life. You will be rich in life. The more you endure hardships by grace, the more you will be filled with life.
Thus, Paul said that grace not only "abounded to the many," but also that "grace might reign through righteousness unto life eternal." Life con tinually issues out of the multiplication of grace.