Galatians 4:12-20

Galatians 4:12-20
English Standard Version (ESV)

  So it's clear that Paul was detained in Galatia due to some sickness or injury.  I like how it's no big deal to the Galatians.  It's like the saying that it's a procedure when it's performed on someone else, but it's surgery when it's performed on you. 
  So God uses this medical condition to have Paul show up and preach the Gospel to the Galatians.  If Paul hadn't been ailing, how would the Gospel have been preached?  It's important to remember that God can use everything in our life to proclaim the Gospel -- this doesn't mean that God causes everything, or that God wants bad things to happen, but that when bad things happen, God continues to be at work in our lives, providing opportunities for the Gospel to be proclaimed.  It's certainly not easy to look for those opportunities when we're ailing or hurting, but that's part of our call.
  Paul continues, talking about hard truths.  He is telling the Galatians hard things, and they don't like it, whereas others are telling them easier things and luring them away.  This is where we are called to be discerning -- to pay attention to what we're hearing and not discard the harder challenges and lean towards the easier things.  The path of discipleship is sometimes difficult, and we endure through rough patches to reach the ultimate reward.  When we choose, may we do so with faithfulness and discernment, paying attention to the community, that we may grow in discipleship.