Purpose in my Pain

Suffering is inevitable.

1. Purpose of the Thorn

Before Paul says anything about this thorn, before he even tells us about it he makes it point to give us the reason. The Purpose behind this episode of suffering was to keep him humble. The thorn was buffer to keep Paul in his lane. Paul had the distinct honour of receiving 4 encounters with the resurrected Christ. 1) Damascus 2) In Corinth 3) trance in the temple 4)vision in prison. Then the most elaborate vision anyone in scripture had ever seen, Paul gets to see the heaven. And although Paul is this giant figure in the church he still has the temptation to get big headed. So to keep him humble, he received a thorn in his flesh. The work of the thorn was to keep Paul humble. Imagine that. The very thing that Paul didn't ask for is exactly what God gives him, because often times what we ask for is not what we need. And to dig deeper, just because it feels good doesn’t mean it is good, and just because it hurts doesn’t mean it can help.

And don’t get mad a Paul. This is just how we do. When things are going good in our lives we have a tendency to forget how quickly things can change. We forget just how fast problems arise. And when we get so caught up in the blessings and favor of God, every once and a while God has to remind us who it was that God you where you are. We have let the perseverance have it perfect work. Look carefully at the construction of v. 7. It begins and ends with “Lest I should be exhaled above measure” The purpose of the pain is to keep you eye, your, mind, your heart on Jesus.

When you find yourself in a place of debilitating discomfort I’m not going to say God caused it, but I do know that God can use it. I know that he is working it out for my good. The thing, may not be good, but God an work it out for good.

The thorn is not a small thorn from a rose bush. Nah, the thorn is a wooden instrument used to impale. It later became a figure of speech for pain. My point is that this thorn hurt. It was not just some prick, it was pain that Paul would always feel. And pay close attention to the verse. It does not say the thorn was given by Satan. That is often tough and mentioned by the best of preacher and teacher. He says that the thorn “was” a messenger of Satan.

Satan wouldn’t willingly give something that will humble you. God used this. What you meant for evil God meant for good.

3. Promise with the Thorn

The first observation I made while in this text was how Paul prayed for the thorn to be removed. Because when when you are in pain you will pray differently. You go from (simple prayer to desperate). Even in our pain God ready to hear what you have to say. If we are honest it wasn’t until we needed God that we found out that we always needed God. It wasn’t until your money dried up that God is way maker, it wasn’t until you were sick that you needed God to heal, it wasn’t until…company, friend, lawyer, Grace.

Jesus answers. Hebrews 2:18 “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” Jesus has been there. It is a comfort to know that whatever it is I am dealing with Jesus has been there.

4. Power in the Thorn

Paul goes back to his boastful self but this time he changes the object of his boast to the right place. He now is boasting in how limited his power is so that he can point to where the power really is.

Boast I’m going to boast that it was God who used me.