Your Thorn in the Flesh

Most of us have experienced the sensation of being pricked or scratched by a thorn. We endure varying degrees of scratching, soreness or stinging. If the thorn becomes embedded, it may cause a throbbing pain with every movement. It may even become infected causing the skin to swell and fester. What started as what seemed like a an insignificant wound can become a very painful irritant.

A tiny Thorn can cause disproportionant pain

Paul knew God intimately and he knew how to face his infirmity with a godly attitude. Paul recognized that his oroblem was caused by satan but he also knew it had been “given” to him.

2 Corinthians 12:1–7 (NIV84)

I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 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. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

God allowed satan to work his mischief in Paul’s life, but even satan was compelled to act within the framework of God’s purpose.

Job 1:12 NIV84

The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Thorns afford us the opportunity to turn our eyes to God

Suffering is one of the ways God claims our attention.

In intense turmoil, Luther wrote his greatest hymn. It was the worst of times—1527—one of the most trying years of Luther’s life. It’s hard to imagine he had the energy or spirit to compose one of Christendom’s most memorable hymns. On April 22, a dizzy spell forced Luther to stop preaching in the middle of his sermon. For ten years, since publishing his 95 Theses against the abuse of indulgences, Luther had been buffeted by political and theological storms; at times his life had been in danger. Now he was battling other reformers over the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. To Luther, their errors were as great as those of Rome—the very gospel was at stake—and Luther was deeply disturbed and angry. He suffered severe depression. Then, on July 6, as friends arrived for dinner, Luther felt an intense buzzing in his left ear. He went to lie down, when suddenly he called, “Water or I’ll die!” He became cold, and he was convinced he had seen his last night. In a loud prayer, he surrendered himself to God’s will. With a doctor’s help, Luther partially regained his strength. But this depression and illness overcame him again in August, September and late December. Looking back on one of his bouts, he wrote his friend Melanchthon, “I spent more than a week in death and hell. My entire body was in pain, and I still tremble. Completely abandoned by Christ, I labored under the vacillations and storms of desperation and blasphemy against God. But through the prayers of the saints [his friends], God began to have mercy on me and pulled my soul from the inferno below.” Meanwhile, in August, the plague had erupted in Wittenberg. As fear spread, so did many of the townspeople. But Luther considered it his duty to remain and care for the sick. Even though his wife was pregnant, Luther’s house was transformed into a hospital, and he watched many friends die. Then his son became ill. Not until late November did the epidemic abate and the ill begin to recover. During that horrific year, Luther took time to remember the tenth anniversary of his publication against indulgences, noting the deeper meaning of his trials: “The only comfort against raging Satan is that we have God’s Word to save the souls of believers.” Sometime that year, Luther expanded that thought into the hymn he is most famous for: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” This verse, translated by Frederick Hedge in 1853, comes from one of more than sixty English versions:

Elesha Hodge, ed., Today’s Best Illustrations, vol. 1–4, Today’s Best Illustrations (Christianity Today International, 1997).

2 Corinthians 12:8–9 NIV84

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

There are many scriptural instances and miracles and healings we have witnessed; times where God said “YES”! But sometimes God’s snswer is “NO”! that was the case with Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Possibly we have had thorns like that or maybe we currently have them.

How we react to these “NO” thorns is one of the tests of our faith; not a test God is giving us but a kind of self test which will help us to check our own faith walk.

If we never had any thorns, there would never be any opportunity for God to meet our needs

A mom tells a story bout a shopping instance before her son’s birthday. She pulled my brimming shopping cart to a stop at the checkout counter, a toy truck caught my son’s eye. “Mommy—a truck. Can we buy it? Please?” With his fifth birthday only 11 days away, we had used our money to purchase his first bicycle, the one item he wanted more than anything else in the world. So I said no to the truck. “You never say yes to anything,” he muttered dejectedly before retreating into silence. As I reflected on his childish behavior, I cringed. I had acted the same way before God just a few days before. I had prayed for something he chose to withhold. I hadn’t stopped to think that his “no” today might be a prelude to unimaginable blessings tomorrow.

Elesha Hodge, ed., Today’s Best Illustrations, vol. 1–4, Today’s Best Illustrations (Christianity Today International, 1997).

BJ Thomas wrote a song years ago,”Down isn’t so bad when it gets you looking up at life, and life as it could be, when your lokking up at God.” Would we truly even know if we we standing on a mountain top if we had neve spent time in the valley.

When we realize how weak and insufficient we are, we can begin to learn about God’s power and HIS sufficiency .

Suffering allows God the opportunity to demonstrate HIS wonderful grace-and it gives us the opportunity to experience it.

Paul recieved this grace and was able to take pleasure in difficulties because they enabled him to see God at work.

1 Corinthians 12:10 NIV84

to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

What is your “thorn in the flesh”? Take a moment to dwell on the benefits the Lord has bestowed on you as an immediateresult of this weakness?