Why did Paul ask God to remove his affliction?
Paul asked God to remove his affliction because it was not pleasant to look at, and he feared people would be turned off by his appearance. He wanted nothing in his physical condition to hinder his hearers from receiving the message. God, however, told him the focus was His message and Spirit's power.
Les teaches that Paul had an affliction that was not nice to look at, and Paul pleaded with the Lord to take it away so that at best people would not be turned off by what they saw. Especially when he was on Mars Hill among the philosophers, Paul did not want his appearance to distract from his ministry. But God denied the request, saying that this was not the name of the game; the real issue was Paul's message and the power of God's Spirit.