2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT

“So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Some say that the “thorn” Paul was referring to was a physical ailment. Maybe you can identify with that. I can. My friend, maybe you were born with limitations, or now find limitations in your body that weren’t there before. Maybe you live with chronic pain…

Or…maybe your thorn is something different-something affecting you emotionally…or mentally. Anxiety. Depression. Attention deficits. These things that plague your mind and heart, sometimes making it hard to get through the day. 

Or…maybe, like me, you have the ‘combo meal.’ And your afflictions seem to come at you from every side. When Paul says, “Three times I begged the Lord to take it away,” I thought to myself, “Well Paul, I have you beat buddy. Because I’ve begged the Lord way more than three times.” It’s true that I’ve pleaded…I’ve prayed…I’ve asked sweetly…and I’ve even gone so far as to shake my fist at the Heavens and tell the Lord that it’s not fair and enough is enough (as if God owed me “fair”)….and the weaknesses and struggles, well they don’t seem to be going anywhere. (And let me just say now, that I am so thankful for God’s grace towards me in these moments. The truth is, I deserve far worse than my “thorns.” We all do).

This scripture tells us that Paul was glad to boast in his weakness-even happy about his weakness. I can’t say that I’m there yet. BUT I can so see the shifting of the heart that would take place if we could-instead of despising our thorns, become thankful for them. Because it’s our weakness that reminds us of our need for Christ and His strength. It’s these things that we battle that draw us to the Lord. Right? Because our strength has run out…

If we didn’t struggle, would we need Him like we do in the middle of our fight? If everything was so easy and free from pain, couldn’t we become so self-reliant that, Heaven forbid, we even forget about God? What a scary thought…

Our hope in our struggle, is that His grace is enough. Always enough. And we have the promise of His presence. Psalm 34:17-18 says, “The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (italics mine)

Thorns are painful. They pinch and scrape and they just downright hurt. And I’m suddenly reminded of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore for us. Those thorns that pressed into the tender flesh of his scalp, causing blood to run down his face…I think Jesus knows a thing or two about thorns. So of course he “is near to the brokenhearted.” He knows what it feels like. And sometimes our struggle can feel so weighty…so heavy that we feel crushed to our very core. But did you catch the last part of that verse? “And saves those who are crushed in spirit.” 

So tonight, I am thanking the Lord for my thorns. I’m thankful for my struggles and I’m thankful for my weaknesses. I know the fight isn’t over and probably won’t be on this side of Heaven. But it’s teaching me who He is. It’s teaching me about His faithfulness…His peace…His grace…His love. 

And so we rest friends. Knowing that “He has overcome the world.” There will be a day when life won’t be so hard. And until then, we press in and we press on. Knowing that His strength is PERFECT when ours has run out.