v11Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting. 12Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13And even those who advocate circumcision don’t really keep the whole law. They only want you to be circumcised so they can brag about it and claim you as their disciples. 14As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross,£ my interest in this world died long ago, and the world’s interest in me is also long dead. 15It doesn’t make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people. 16May God’s mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God.£ 17From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. 18My dear brothers and sisters,£ may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Paul usually did not pen his letters but rather they were written by someone he had to write for him. This would point to him either lacking the skill to write {doubtful considering his earlier position with the Jews} or using large letters from having a vision issue making writing very difficult for him. Partial blindness no doubt would be a burden and one he would logically ask to be taken from him.
“I think it was an actual physical issue possibly happened at his experience with blindness when confronted by Christ.”
Just as hearing improves as eyesight diminishes. One sensory input improves to compensate for the weakness of another.
It was not until my eyesight diminished that I was better able to see with my soul.
The reason we close our eyes when we pray is to diminish the sensory input into the thalamus which is performing the priority sort of sensory input allowed to be processed by the central nervous system. Over 90% of the input normally comes from the optic nerve when we are awake. By diminishing this input we become aware of senses we didn’t even know we have. That is why we must be calm and look within to find God.