THORN ANYONE?

 

July 18, 2024

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

“A thorn was given me in the flesh,” says Paul. Scholars argue about what exactly it was—bad eyesight? Some speech impediment? Injured hip? Irritable bowel syndrome? Some horrible disease? Truth is it doesn't really matter what it was. My guess is we all recognize the concept from our own lives. What was/is your "thorn in the flesh"?

Our "thorns" are often something about us personally that we don't like, something that we hate about ourselves, because it emphasizes our weakness. Our "thorn" keeps showing up, and we can't seem to get rid of it, it is this major distraction, "a messenger from Satan" that causes us to hold back our service or worship, and when we pray for help, God says to us what He said to Paul: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."

Whatever it is, our "thorn" it's something that keeps us humble and dependent on Christ. I believe that anything that drives us back to Jesus is to be considered a blessing in the end. As I heard said recently "To have Jesus plus suffering or embarrassment is ... still to have Jesus, right?"

To "have Jesus" means to have the One who loves us so much that He laid down His life for us, only to take it up again. It's to have Jesus always with us, closer than our own breath, strengthening us, comforting us, carrying us when we need it. To have the power of Christ rest on us. We have Jesus, and that is enough.

LET'S PRAY

Jesus, let me have You, 

and that is enough for me. Amen.