What about Paul’s eyesight? Why was he not healed of that?
There is a page on the net written by a Catholic, that actually believes the same as you do concerning healing, but doesn't believe that Paul had a problem with his eyesight. It is an interesting page, grounded in The Word. If you care to read it, the net address is: http://www.northforest.org/BibleTopics/thorninflesh.html
A good Biblical page, dedicated to the proper study of the Bible, has a page around the scripture Philippians 3:12, which is, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if indeed I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.". I don't think it is a "Pentecostal" source, at all. It has expositories on the verse, under the different translations of the verse, that are interesting to read, and more in line with how you believe, but I glean understanding from them.
Paul had a calling to preach the Gospel to gentiles, which he was very single minded about. He received many revelations from God, which, thank God, were recorded in the letters he wrote, for our great benefit. When he wrote many things, he was writing as a prophet, who was conveying great and perfect understandings that he received directly from God. When he wrote other things, such as "but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.", he was writing as a human being, giving humanly advice to another person who he cared about. He was not writing in the mode of "thus sayeth The LORD".
I do not believe that Paul would ever want us to think that his words are meant to supersede the words of Christ Himself. Paul was the first one to admit that he was still learning and that he, as well as all of us, "see through a glass darkly". He also said, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if indeed I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.".
None of us may pertain unto the perfection of all that God has ordained for us to be, understand, and do, but that does not mean that Christ has not set the standard. We are to strive to be, understand, and do all that God has for us, even if we do fall short. Let us not lower the standard, which is Christ Himself, in order to make the Word of God more palatable for our feeble minds and hearts, but rather let us strive, with everything we are in Christ Jesus, to win the race, and live to the glory of God and His wonderful grace.
Grace means God's riches at Christ' expense. God's grace is poured out upon our lives as we seek to love Him and serve Him, yielding ourselves to Him, to do His will, even when it is not ours. He is willing to pour out His Holy Spirit through us. We should not be so afraid of failure, that we do not strive for all that God means for us to be in Christ.
We definitely do not want to be like the servant Christ called a wicked and slothful servant, because he was so afraid to use his talent to bring about profit, but out of fear he buried it. It is for the gutless, fearful servant that Christ spoke about as being contemptible. If we fall short, as all do, if we have really tried, it is still a good thing, and we will, in Christ, surely accomplish great things. There is no shame in falling short, but there is great shame in never, out of fear, trying. ______________________________________
Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world [men] have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, [what] he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
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1Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
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John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it].
((The only qualification was "He that believeth on me". That person would not only do the same works as Christ, but greater. Why would they do them? Because He was going to His Father. This is because then the Holy Spirit would be poured out. He is still with The Father, and The Holy Spirit is still poured out in a special way through the Church. These things have not changed, so the words of Christ here, still apply to us.))
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John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
John 7:39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for The Holy Ghost was not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
(("Because Jesus was not yet glorified"; again shows that this is what would make the difference. The Holy Spirit would only be poured out in such a way that He would flow from each of us as a river of living water, after Jesus was glorified. Jesus has been glorified, and The Holy Spirit is received by all who believe in Jesus. Now the question is, "How much will we believe in Jesus and what He actually said?" I mean really endeavor to believe what Jesus said, without excuse or fear. Yes, I fail, but I also try.))