The Thorn…

I’ve been blogging quite a bit on trials lately. It seems foreign to me yet to think of my trials as blessings. I’ve always been intrigued by Paul’s thorn. In 2nd Corinthians Paul is telling the story of his trip to the third heaven and the majesty he experienced. He has truly seen the other side, true paradise in all its wonders, to the point of being inexpressible. And he realizes the privilege he has not only in this experience, but in the trust and closeness to God that he might even share moments with him. YOU get the depth of Paul’s understanding the greatness of God, especially in comparison to his own life.

2Co 12:7-10 NIV 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. 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.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I find a few interesting points about this passage.

• The Greek translation of this thorn in the flesh seems to indicate Paul was inflicted with a physical ailment
• At the time of this writing a physical ailment was commonly attributed to spiritual attack by Satan
• Paul makes a positive tie from his physical ailment to his need to maintain humility as if God has given him this ailment as a gift to help him maintain humility
• Paul asked the Lord to take away this thorn
• God responds as to why he will leave the thorn, he is choosing the best path for Paul
• Through the thorn God humbles Paul
• That humility helps Paul grasp God’s power over his life
• God’s power is perfect when we are weak – we become his perfect instruments

Questions and application to draw from this passage:

• Know that God brings us trials, physical and otherwise to bring us close to him, to help us rely on him, and not on ourselves
• I must remember that God’s power is the strongest when I am at my weakest. That said, I should pay attention to my surroundings in the midst of trials to see God work and to allow the sanctification process to happen.
• Through my recent studies (and blogs) scripture tells me I need to take my requests and anxieties to God, that his burden (versus my own) is light, and most importantly, God knows what we can bear, and will always provide me a way out of temptation

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