Thorns and the Christian
“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.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
Here in 2 Corinthians we have the apostle Paul admitting he has a problem, “a thorn in the flesh”. The majority of commentators I’ve read believe it was a physical ailment of some kind. Many think eye trouble but no one is one hundred percent certain.
What the problem however is immaterial to the fact that the Apostle Paul had an on going ailment. That he interpreted the ailment as being allowed by God to keep him from becoming conceited.
It’s very easy for great men, or for anyone, to become conceited. To take all the credit for their success.
Paul was a great evangelist a great servant of God. Paul could have taken all the credit for the success of his ministry, when in fact it was God working through him.
Over the years I’ve heard false teachers claiming to be Christian saying that Christians should be completely healthy all the time. That they should be wealthy. Yet this was not the case with Paul.
Paul wrote,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:12,13.
The apostle Paul one of the greatest Christians leaders ever to live knew what it was like to be hungry, to be in need, and to have plenty. All of that in addition to having his “thorn in the flesh”.
Just because we are Christians does not exclude us from getting sick or being in need, or hungry or for that matter being wealthy.
We live in a world that throws a lot at us good and bad at us, but through it all we should be drawing closer to God.
Especially in the bad times we should echo the words or Paul who said, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength”.
Even in the good times we should be thanking God for what we have. All too often Christians fail to do that.
I know many people who are in wheelchairs, have mental health issues, or chronic problems of various types that serve the God faithfully.
Yes at times what they can do for God may be limited but they still serve him faithfully. Giving God the praise for all that is done. Something all who claim to be Christians should do.
Please think about it.
“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.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
Here in 2 Corinthians we have the apostle Paul admitting he has a problem, “a thorn in the flesh”. The majority of commentators I’ve read believe it was a physical ailment of some kind. Many think eye trouble but no one is one hundred percent certain.
What the problem however is immaterial to the fact that the Apostle Paul had an on going ailment. That he interpreted the ailment as being allowed by God to keep him from becoming conceited.
It’s very easy for great men, or for anyone, to become conceited. To take all the credit for their success.
Paul was a great evangelist a great servant of God. Paul could have taken all the credit for the success of his ministry, when in fact it was God working through him.
Over the years I’ve heard false teachers claiming to be Christian saying that Christians should be completely healthy all the time. That they should be wealthy. Yet this was not the case with Paul.
Paul wrote,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:12,13.
The apostle Paul one of the greatest Christians leaders ever to live knew what it was like to be hungry, to be in need, and to have plenty. All of that in addition to having his “thorn in the flesh”.
Just because we are Christians does not exclude us from getting sick or being in need, or hungry or for that matter being wealthy.
We live in a world that throws a lot at us good and bad at us, but through it all we should be drawing closer to God.
Especially in the bad times we should echo the words or Paul who said, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength”.
Even in the good times we should be thanking God for what we have. All too often Christians fail to do that.
I know many people who are in wheelchairs, have mental health issues, or chronic problems of various types that serve the God faithfully.
Yes at times what they can do for God may be limited but they still serve him faithfully. Giving God the praise for all that is done. Something all who claim to be Christians should do.
Please think about it.
