Ever had something in your life that tears at your heart and you wish it would go away? Ever feel the pain so deeply that you pray for God to remove it? Ever had it removed only to find something of greater discomfort to enter your life? Ever question why?
Paul had a thorn which remained in his life for which he endured through God's grace. Evidently Paul had the propensity for boasting and knew it. God had shown him some marvelous revelations that no one else had ever seen. (2 Cor. 12) It would have been easy to boast of these things which no one else had experienced. Paul understood that about himself. "And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (pre-eminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted." 2 Corinthians 12:7. Amplified.
We often live with things in our lives to remind us Who is in charge, Whose we are, to Whom we must seek for guidance and direction in our lives. When we tend to be self-sufficient, God allows things to be introduced into our lives that teach us we are not sufficient. The humble He exalts, the proud He humbles. He gives us the unlovely to love. He gives us the unforgiveable to forgive. He gives us the unmerciful on which to return mercy.
Some folks think they know more than anyone else. They must continually be correcting others and criticizing another's words and actions. They can be the most annoying people in the world. I have found that I can rejoice in having those people in my life. I consider them the thorns God allows to keep me ever looking to Him for answers. I'm ever-seeking His Truth in the midst of deceit, guile and manipulations of man. Surrounding assaults, insults and accusations is God's grace for the moment, peace for the situation, and rest for the weary.
"Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9b
No one knows for certain what "thorn" existed in Paul's life. It's pure speculation. But one thing is certain, He learned to glory in God's sufficiency to help him deal with it and endure. Could we do less? selahV
[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]
