“And lest I should be exalted above measure…there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh…” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:7 

In the Bible, thorns are seldom mentioned in a good light. They were first mentioned in Genesis as part of the curse resulting from Adam’s sin. In Proverbs, it speaks of a hedge of thorns that impedes the progress of the slothful man. And of course, there is the crown of thorns that bloodied the Savior’s brow on His way to Calvary. We see thorns as nuisances that cause hurt, and pain and we always avoid them. 

It was a “thorn” that was given to the Apostle Paul; some type of physical affliction of which we can only guess. Like any other man, Paul prayed that the Lord would take it away. No one wants to live with the thorns of pain, persecution, or problems! Yet for this great Christian the Lord’s answer was, “No!” 

 Wisely, Paul came to see that his thorn was, in truth, a gift that kept him humble and usable for the Lord’s service. He learned that with this physical weakness, he could rely upon an abundant supply of God’s strength that would be greater than any hindrance that thorn could cause. God taught him that when he was weak, by God’s grace he was truly strong. The word for “strong” is the same word as “dynamite” With this understanding, Paul turned his prayer into praise! “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmity…” In my small trials, I too have come to learn that the thorns God allows in my life are actually gifts that allow me special access to His amazing grace! That understanding changes everything! 

Let us ask ourselves, “When was the last time that we thanked God for our thorns?” 

Pastor Bish