Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:7–10)

God told Paul that it was enough that he could raise the dead, cure the blind, cleanse lepers, and do other miracles. He did not need exemption from danger and fear as well, or complete freedom to preach without any form of hindrance. Indeed, when these troubles come, God's power of deliverance is shown, and the gospel triumphs in spite of persecution. The more the trials increased, the more grace increased as well.

John Chrysostom, Homilies in the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians 26

Still, we must realize that as you cannot have a persecution without evil on the part of the devil or a trial of faith without persecution, the evil that seems required for the trial of faith is not the cause of persecution but only its instrument. The real cause of the persecution is the act of God's will, choosing that there be a trial of faith; then there follows evil on the part of the devil as the chosen instrument of persecution which is the proximate cause of the trial of faith. For in other respects too, insofar as evil is the rival of justice, to that extent it provides material to give testimony of that of which it is a rival, and so justice may be said to be perfected in injustice, as strength is perfected in weakness. For the weak things of the world are chosen by God that the strong may be put to shame, and the foolish things of this world to put to shame its wisdom. Thus even evil may be used that justice may be glorified when evil is put to shame.

Tertullian, Flight in the Time of Persecution 2

Paul showed the weakness of nature, saying, I begged to be free of the trials. He showed also the Lord’s comforting: he said the abundance of grace was sufficient for consolation, while the weakness and patient endurance of the preachers brings out also the power of what is preached.… He did not say I endure, but I take pleasure, that is I rejoice, I am happy, I accept with pleasure what befalls: the apparent weakness is the source of real power to me.

Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians