A Quiet Glimpse into Glory

“ I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.” (2 Corinthians 12:2)

• Paul avoids naming himself; he chooses “a man in Christ,” sidestepping attention.

• He admits uncertainty—“whether in the body or out of the body I do not know”—showing he will not speak beyond what God has clearly revealed.

• He anchors the entire experience in God’s perfect knowledge: “God knows.”

• Christ, not the Christian, stays at center stage (Colossians 1:18).

• Honest limits protect us from speculation and pride (Deuteronomy 29:29).

• Submitting our experiences to God’s evaluation guards the heart (Psalm 139:23-24).

1. Credit Christ First

– “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord” (2 Corinthians 10:17).

2. Speak Cautiously About Spiritual Experiences

– Paul waits fourteen years to mention this vision—silence can be wisdom.

3. Embrace Weakness Instead of Spotlight

– Just three verses later: “I will boast only in my weaknesses” (2 Corinthians 12:5).

4. Keep Perspective

– Romans 12:3 reminds each believer “not to think of himself more highly than he ought.”

5. Submit Everything to Scripture

– Isaiah 8:20: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there is no light in them.”

• God “gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

• Power is “perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

• Humility opens the door for greater usefulness—Paul’s hidden vision fuels public ministry without fueling ego.

• Begin each day by acknowledging Christ’s ownership of every achievement.

• Recount a recent blessing without naming yourself as the hero.

• Accept limitations joyfully, trusting that “God knows” the full story.

• Look for unnoticed acts of service—do them quietly and move on.

• Memorize 2 Corinthians 12:2-3 to keep Paul’s tone of self-effacement fresh in mind.